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(STRASBOURG) – The European Parliament gave its final approval Tuesday to a new regulation enabling the EU to ban from the single market the sale, import, and export of goods made using forced labour.
Parliament rapporteur Maria-Manuel Leitao-Marques MEP welcomed the approval: “Today, worldwide, 28 million people are trapped in the hands of human traffickers and states who force them to work for little or no pay. Europe cannot export its values while importing products made with forced labour.”
Under the new rules, EU member state authorities and the European Commission will be able to investigate suspicious goods, supply chains, and manufacturers. If a product is deemed to have been made using forced labour, it will no longer be possible to sell it on the EU market (including online) and shipments will be intercepted at the EU’s borders.
Decisions to investigate will be based on factual and verifiable information that can be received from, for example, international organisations, cooperating authorities and whistle-blowers. Several risk factors and criteria will be taken into account, including the prevalence of state-imposed forced labour in certain economic sectors and geographic areas.
Manufacturers of banned goods will have to withdraw their products from the EU single market and donate, recycle or destroy them. Non-compliant companies could be fined. The goods may be allowed back on the EU single market once the company eliminates forced labour from its supply chains.
The agreed text now has to get a final formal approval from the EU Council. It will then be published in the Official Journal. EU countries will have to start applying it in 3 years.
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