Ernst & Young LLP and the Foreign Trade Zone of Central Texas invite executives involved with trade, supply chain, strategy and tax to view a 60-minute EY webcast providing insight on trade disruptions and the impact of the Biden-Harris administration, benefits of the FTZ for manufacturers and distributors, how to access the FTZ program, and suggested steps to evaluate the potential impact of FTZ use.

Companies dependent on imports as part of their global supply chain have increasingly been concerned with ongoing volatility in the global trade environment. US trade actions have imposed penalty duties on Chinese goods, many European goods, and steel and aluminum products.

With the demise of the World Trade Organization’s Appellate Body, which acted as a referee between countries in resolving trade disputes, countries are imposing punitive tariffs. As a result, company’s supply chains are effected by the instability in trade and how quickly tariffs can be imposed and withdrawn.

As we near the end of the first 100 days of the Biden-Harris administration, the disruptive trade environment persists with the administration signaling no immediate plans to change the tariffs on Chinese goods or to change the steel and aluminum tariffs.

The US Foreign Trade Zones (FTZ) program remains an effective tool to navigate the tumultuous trade environment. Companies in Central Texas have access to the program through the Foreign Trade Zone of Central Texas, Inc. (FTZ No. 183), which serves the counties of Bastrop, Caldwell, Hays, Travis and Williamson.