By Kanishka Singh
WASHINGTON, March 13 (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Friday that the White House said was aimed at combating fraudulent “Made in America” labels by foreign manufacturers and sellers.
The executive order directs the chairman of the Federal Trade Commission to prioritize enforcement actions against sellers and manufacturers who falsely claim their products are made in America or make similar assertions in violation of existing law, the White House said.
It directs all agencies with country-of-origin labeling oversight, in consultation with the FTC chair, to consider new regulations and ensure consistent guidance.
With an emphasis by the Trump administration on domestic manufacturing, the government has been keen on ensuring that companies’ marketing accurately describes the extent of foreign and domestic inputs into their goods.
The order also requires agencies overseeing government-wide acquisition contracts to periodically verify American-origin claims for products sold to the federal government, the White House said.
The order asks for violators to be referred to the U.S. Justice Department, according to the White House.
(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington, Editing by Franklin Paul and Rosalba O’Brien)
