Kelley Drye 2023 Manufacturing Conference

Join us in Washington, DC for a full-day discussion of the top legal, regulatory, and policy issues facing the U.S. manufacturing sector. Hear from experts and analysts about U.S.-China relations, U.S. industrial policy, global supply chain challenges, trade enforcement, and climate and sustainability developments relevant to the business of manufacturing in America, followed by a cocktail reception as the conference concludes.

We’re thrilled to announce the Honorable Robert Portman, as our keynote speaker!

Register Here.

AGENDA

Morning Keynote Q&A The Honorable Robert Portman
Kelley Drye’s Dana Wood and Dustin Painter sit down with The Honorable Robert Portman for a discussion of the key issues facing the U.S. manufacturing sector.

The Shifting Landscape of U.S.- China Relations and Policy
Are bilateral tensions easing after a series of trade talks between the two nations, or are the U.S. and China still on a collision course over issues of market access, technology and IP, and Beijing’s continued cultivation of state-led industries and reliance on unfair trade practices?

Trade Legislation in the 118th Congress
Will 2023 finally be the year for a trade package? This panel will discuss and evaluate the prospects of a growing list of contenders that range from reauthorizing the already-lapsed GSP and MTB programs, consideration of the expiring AGOA preference program, bills addressing strengthening and enforcing U.S. trade remedy laws, proposals targeting China and, finally, an effort to update and modernize U.S. Customs laws and operations.

Trends in Trade Remedy Enforcement
AD and CVD cases have been an effective tool for U.S. producers for decades, but economic conditions have led to a decline in the number of AD/CVD petitions filed in recent years. Instead, foreign producers are finding creative ways to access the U.S. market by circumventing and evading the trade orders that are already in place, leaving domestic industries playing a frustrating game of ​“whack-a-mole.” We’ll briefly examine the latest trends in trade remedies enforcement, discuss how companies identify and thwart circumvention schemes, and consider the outlook for combatting unfair import competition.

Critical Minerals and Other Critical Materials – What Are They and Why Industry Should Care?
Critical minerals and other critical materials are buzz words of the day, but what are they and why should industry care? With a number of government bodies identifying and working towards an assured and resilient supply of critical materials, we’ll review a selection of these efforts and discuss available opportunities for industry to engage on these issues.

Customs Roundup – UFLPA, Enforce and Protect and other CBP Priorities
More than a year into enactment of the UFLPA, CBP has requested additional resources, diversified its enforcement targets and reported UFLPA detentions in the ​“automotive and aerospace” industry for the first time. We’ll discuss these enforcement trends, the future of UFLPA enforcement and other noteworthy Customs developments.

Export and Sanctions - Debunking Common Myths in Trade Compliance
Common misconceptions related to compliance with sanctions, export controls, and CFIUS regulations can result in gaps in a company’s compliance program and potentially costly violations of trade controls. We’ll address those misconceptions and provide recommendations for ensuring your compliance program is up to the task.

Withstanding Labor Challenges in the Manufacturing Sector
A short discussion regarding labor, workforce and employment issues that are top of mind for manufacturers, including a tight labor market in the midst of a manufacturing investment super cycle, finding workers to fill high-skilled manufacturing jobs over the next decade, and the recent resurgence of labor unions in the U.S.

U.S. Industrial Policy and Infrastructure: Considerations for U.S. Manufacturers
A discussion of the Biden Administration’s ​“modern American industrial strategy” which has produced spending bills including the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), CHIPS and Science Act, and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), and what this strategy may mean for the manufacturing sector and U.S. economic and national security.

Climate, Sustainability and Trade
The intersection of climate, trade, and industrial policy has been a recent focus of the Biden Administration and our trading partners around the globe. We’ll examine the E.U.’s carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM), the Biden administration’s proposed Global Arrangement on Sustainable Steel and Aluminum (GASSA), and other key emerging climate policies that will affect U.S. manufacturers.

Industry Perspectives and Key Takeaways
A chat with three manufacturers to look back at the program and discuss industry’s perspective on, and the real world implications of, international trade, industrial policy and sustainability.

Please join us immediately following the program for a cocktail reception on the rooftop deck.