Business Compliance

September 5, 2024 Businesses that manufacture, import, process, distribute in commerce or use phenol, isopropylated phosphate (3:1) (PIP (3:1)) or products containing PIP (3:1), especially flame retardants in plastics used in consumer electronics are required to remove the chemical from their supply chain by October 31, 2024.  As required under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), the EPA issued five final rules on January 6, 2021 to reduce exposures to certain chemicals that are persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT). Phenol, isopropylated phosphate (3:1) or “PIP (3:1)”

September 19, 2024 Staff from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services (FWS) Office of International Programs participated in a webinar on Thursday, September 19 along with IWPA and NAMM staff. Topics included industry concerns about the upcoming implementation of tropical hardwoods listed in CITES Appendix II, which includes approximately 1,400 animal species and 25,000 plant species. To find out whether a species is listed in the Appendices, you can check in the CITES-listed species database, using either the scientific name or the common name of the species.   

August 22, 2024 NAMM hosted Part II of our Lacey Act, Phase VII webinar series featuring Erin Otto, National Policy Manager at USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and Karen Williams, Compliance Specialist for Lacey Act Team and Kevin Eldridge, Director of Quality and Compliance for Yamaha Guitar Group, Inc. to prepare members for a December 1, 2024, compliance date for all remaining plant product Harmonized Tariff Schedule codes (200+) that are not 100 percent composite materials. Representatives presented on what to expect, compliance guidelines and penalties

August 20, 2024 NAMM hosted a free webinar on August 14, 2024 as part of our EU compliance series for companies selling products in the European Union (EU) to gain a deeper understanding of General Product Safety Regulations (GPSR). This was the second webinar in the GPSR compliance series, and this time we took a deeper dive into each step of GPSR compliance. From risk analysis to designating a responsible person in the EU, special guests Jens Radimerski, Compliance Specialist Non-food, trade-e-bility GmbH, Magdalena Barylska and Compliance Expert, trade-e-bility GmbH provided su

August 6, 2024 Guest post by Mitchell Haber, Regional Vice President (Los Angeles North - Emerging Markets),  Voya Financial With the number of states requiring businesses to offer retirement plan benefits to their employees on the rise, business owners should consider whether a retirement plan is a good option and, most importantly, find out if it is required in their state. States that Require a Retirement Plan As of June 2024, 17 states, including California, Illinois, New York and New Jersey require businesses with more than five employees to offer a retirement plan benefit,

May 31, 2024 The lawsuit, brought by several small businesses groups representing business interests, claims that DOL overstepped its regulatory authority in promulgating the rule. In April 2024, the DOL released the final rule that updates and revises regulations under the Fair Labor Standards Act that implement the exemption from minimum wage and overtime pay requirements for executive, administrative, and professional employees. The rule goes into effect on July 1, 2024, with the new salary and compensation levels going into effect on January 1, 2025. Future updates to the sala

May 16, 2024 The global Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species  (CITES) convening known as the Conference of the Parties (CoP) occurs every three years and gathers representatives from 184 countries to deliberate and set guidelines for the trade of natural resources, products and derivatives. Being at the table to express the potential impact of proposed requirements on the fair and legal trade of raw materials and musical products, as well as resource preservation and conservation, continues to be a priority for NAMM.   There are important events this year leadin

May 31, 2024 NAMM hosted a free webinar on May 29 for companies selling products in the European Union (EU) to understand how to comply with General Product Safety Regulations (GPSR) by December 13, 2024, in order to access that market. From labeling requirements to understanding the difference between an economic operator and an authorized representative (or responsible person), RecallDesk founder Rutger Oldenhuis provided a comprehensive overview of GPSR and its requirements.  Guests included Kevin Eldridge, Director of Quality and Compliance at Yamaha Guitar Group and Mary Lueh

May 30, 2024 NAMM hosted a webinar featuring Erin Otto, National Policy Manager at USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and Karen Williams, Compliance Specialist for Lacey Act Team to give our members the information to prepare for implementation of Phase VII of the Lacey Act by December 1, 2024. In this phase, declarations will be required for all remaining plant product Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) codes that are not 100 percent composite materials. According to a statement released by APHIS on May 30, 2024: If an importer imports items that contain plant

May 15, 2024 On April 23, 2024, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) voted to issue a final rule that imposes a nationwide ban on all employers from using noncompete clauses in contracts with all workers at any level. There are limited exceptions: (1) it does not apply to existing noncompete agreements for senior executives (those in policy-making positions who earn more than about $151,164 annually); and (2) noncompete agreements are allowed if associated with a bona fide sale of a business. The vote was 3-2, with Commissioners in favor saying that noncompete clauses impose unfair

April 19, 2024 NAMM Policy Program Manager Claire Kreger-Boaz attended the World of Wood Convention in San Diego, CA, April 9–12, 2024, on a mission to gather the latest information on Phase VII of the Lacey Act and upcoming CITES discussions scheduled for this July as well as to strengthen the relationships NAMM and its partners have forged with regulatory and enforcement agencies. The IWPA’s annual convention convenes the globally sourced wood products industry. With 300 importers, U.S. manufacturers, exporters, wholesalers, offshore suppliers and service providers attendees get

March 26, 2024 China's recent implementation of a new mandatory national standard for musical instruments, GB28489-2022, effective January 1, 2024, has significant implications not only within China but also for global stakeholders, including those in the U.S. This updated standard supersedes the previous GB/T28489-2012 and introduces stricter requirements for the content of harmful substances in musical instruments, along with updated testing methods to ensure compliance. The new Chinese standard has sparked discussions and considerations among U.S.-based manufacturers, distribut