EU Approves Law Banning Forced Labor Products

The European Union has officially adopted the Forced Labour Regulation (FLR), a landmark law that prohibits the sale of products made with forced labor within the EU. This regulation aims to eliminate goods linked to forced labor, addressing the exploitation of an estimated 27.6 million people worldwide. The Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) has welcomed this move, emphasizing the importance of human rights in EU trade policies and urging for robust implementation to prevent companies from continuing exploitative practices. The regulation aligns with the earlier EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, which mandates companies to assess and mitigate human rights and environmental risks in their supply chains. Enforcement will require enhanced resources and cooperation among EU member states to effectively ban tainted products, particularly from high-risk regions like Xinjiang and Turkmenistan. The success of this initiative hinges on swift and decisive action against corporate complicity in forced labor.