GAO Finds Communication Issues Around Forced Labor Cases and Seafood
CBP could improve its communications about what information is useful for investigating forced labor used in the seafood industry, the Government Accountability Office said in a June 18 report. Fourteen nongovernmental organizations interviewed by the GAO “indicated that they had some uncertainty about the types and level of information CBP needs to investigate forced labor cases in the seafood industry,” it said. “For example, representatives from one NGO said it was not clear what constituted a credible allegation for CBP, or what information CBP needs to make a section 307 determination.” Another NGO said “it is not worth dedicating the time and resources to develop an allegation without a clear sense of the types of information CBP is looking for to investigate its forced labor cases,” the GAO said.
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CBP concurred with the GAO's recommendations for better communication. In April, the CBP Office of Trade expanded the Forced Labor Interagency Working Group to more agencies, it said. Also, the CBP Forced Labor Division will develop some new procedures by July 31, it said. Those procedures will “include establishing a [partner government agency] contact list” that “CBP will regularly use to communicate and collaborate with PGA and other entities on sector specific investigations,” the agency said.