Plans of the EU Commission: Import ban for products from forced labor

The EU Commission wants to propose today to ban all goods from forced labor from the European market. The ban is intended to cover all phases of production – which is likely to be extremely difficult.

The EU Parliament has long been calling for a ban on goods manufactured using forced labour. In June, in two unequivocal resolutions, the MPs once again warned that the EU Commission should finally take action. In her speech on the state of the Union a year ago, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen promised a ban on the marketing of forced labor products:

“Cotton, coffee or many other products”

A particular focus is China, where the Muslim Uyghur minority is forced to do forced labour. But the phenomenon is not Chinese. Modern slavery is widespread around the world and particularly threatens people who are refugees or live in extreme poverty.

And her work can be found in many products that are also part of our everyday lives, emphasizes Anna Cavazzini. The European politician of the Greens heads the internal market committee of the EU Parliament: “Worldwide there are 25 million people in forced labor. And many of these people manufacture products that then end up on the European internal market. Think of cotton, or coffee or a lot of them other products.”

In the future, forced labor products are to be banned without exception on the European market. The 27 member countries would be responsible for implementation, for example in cooperation with non-governmental organisations. If an infringement is found, the product must disappear from the European internal market within six weeks.

The problem is the complex supply chains

The problem is the often very complex supply chains, says Bernd Lange. The SPD member of the European Parliament and chairman of the trade committee knows the difficulties of proving whether one of the suppliers is forcing people to work.

He admits: “It’s certainly not an easy task to get a reasonable certification here.” For this one is dependent on concrete information from civil society or from the international labor organization. “So it will depend on a lot of transparency, a lot of cooperation between the responsible authorities and the companies. It is important that you get light into the supply chain.”

hold companies accountable?

Many MEPs would like companies to have to prove in cases of doubt, as in the USA, that no forced laborers are used for their products. The affected workers should also be compensated.

There may still be debates. The Commission proposal now has to be approved by the EU Parliament and the Council of 27 member states before it would come into force two years later.