Europe — The purchase, sale, import, and export of products manufactured through the use of forced labor is to be prohibited on the European internal market. The draft for a corresponding regulation presented by the EU Commission affects companies regardless of their size. This proposal should not be confused with the proposal for a directive on corporate sustainability obligations (Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive), which is also currently in the legislative process. The Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive defines due diligence obligations for companies but does not ban products.
NEXT STEP: The exact implementation of the proposal is currently under discussion. Before entering into force, the proposal to combat forced labor must be approved by the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union.
Source: European Commission