EU Parliament, Council agree to ban forced labour products

EU Parliament, Council agree to ban forced labour products

The deal would also cover EU-produced goods using parts made abroad through workforce exploitation.

The agreement seeks to disrupt unethical business practices and block their access to the European single market. (Unsplash pic)
BRUSSELS:
European Union Council and the European Parliament on Tuesday reached a provisional agreement to ban the entry of products made with forced labour into the European single market.

The agreement clarifies the different responsibilities the EU Commission and the member states in identifying the companies exploiting forced workers and banning their products.

The deal intends to break these companies’ business model, Pierre-Yves Dermagne Belgium’s economy and labour minister said in a statement.

“With this regulation we want to make sure that there is no place for their products on our single market, whether they are manufactured in Europe or abroad,” he said. Belgium currently holds the EU’s rotating presidency.

The bans would be enforced on goods made outside the EU by forced labour and on products manufactured in the EU with parts made abroad by forced labour.

The provisional agreement still needs to be formally approved by the European Parliament and the Council to be enforced.

Stay current - Follow FMT on WhatsApp, Google news and Telegram

Subscribe to our newsletter and get news delivered to your mailbox.