31.10.2026 Regulation #USA #China #Import #Bans

US adds BGI Genomics, MGI Tech and BGI Group to UFLPA Entity List

The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which chairs the interagency Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force (FLETF), has added three Chinese genomics companies to the UFLPA Entity List: BGI Genomics Co., Ltd., MGI Tech Co., Ltd. and Shenzhen BGI Technology Co., Ltd. (BGI Group, also known as BGI Holdings). The notice was published in the Federal Register on October 29, 2026 (FR Doc. 2026-22094, 91 FR 68159). Goods that these companies produce wholly or in part are subject to a rebuttable presumption of forced-labor manufacture, which means an import ban under 19 U.S.C. 1307.

Grounds for listing and company profiles

All three companies were added under section 2(d)(2)(B)(ii) of the UFLPA. That clause covers entities working with the government of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) to recruit, transport, transfer, harbor or receive forced labor, or Uyghurs, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz and members of other persecuted groups. According to the text of the notice:

Two of the three, BGI Genomics and BGI Group, were also added under section 2(d)(2)(B)(v). That clause covers entities that source material from Xinjiang under "poverty alleviation," "pairing-assistance" or other government labor schemes. The stated basis is testing of genetic material of plants, animals and bacterial diseases sourced from the XUAR (BGI Genomics) and of human genetic material from the region (BGI Group).

The notice describes the companies' business as follows:

What this means for importers

Under sections 3(a) and 3(e) of the UFLPA, a rebuttable presumption of forced labor has applied to goods of listed entities since June 21, 2022, and the CBP Commissioner applies it. According to Reuters, as carried by AJOT, CBP must stop such goods unless the presumption can be rebutted. The list now contains 190 entities. For importers of sequencers and reagents, this means checking the manufacturers in their supply chains against the updated list.

Company responses and the delisting route

According to Reuters, MGI Tech rejected the allegations as "inconsistent with the facts," said its US business is a limited part of its overall operations, and stated it has "zero tolerance" for forced labor. BGI Genomics and BGI Group did not respond immediately. BGI Group has previously denied collecting, storing or analyzing personal genetic data to infringe on human rights.

A listed entity can seek removal by submitting a request with supporting information to the FLETF. Member agencies decide by majority vote. The decision cannot be appealed, but the FLETF will consider a new request if it comes with new information.

Status of the list

The list is current as of October 29, 2026 and supersedes the version published on August 3, 2026 (91 FR 48913). The notice does not set a separate effective date for the additions. It states that the list should not be interpreted as an exhaustive list of entities engaged in the described practices.

Primary sources

This material is for information only and does not constitute legal advice or customs consulting. Verify changes against the primary sources before acting.