The European Commission, together with the European External Action Service (EEAS), presented on Tuesday 13 July its guidance document to help companies tackle forced labour in their supply chains.
The 13-page document provides information such as the characteristics of forced labour, the countries or risk factors leading to this practice or how to react to it. It also details the instruments available at European and global level to combat forced labour.
“Businesses are the key to ending forced labour, as they can make a difference by acting responsibly. With this guidance document, we support European companies in their efforts”, said EU Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis.
The European Commission is due to draw up a legislative proposal on corporate accountability in the coming months. In March 2021, the European Parliament took a position in an own-initiative report in favour of a text that obliges companies to identify and eliminate human rights abuses in their supply chains (see EUROPE 12675/10). (Original version in French by Léa Marchal)