Forced Labor Provision Progressing in EU Government
The possibility of passing a ban on the import of goods made with forced labor, first mentioned last year by the EU president (see 2109210030), is slowly advancing through the European Parliament, as a trade committee asked a European Commission official for more information before the legislative language is released.
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Brussels-based reporters who attended the meeting tweeted that Madelaine Tuininga, sustainable development policy chief in the international trade department of the European Commission, said April 25 that the law would cover both imported products and goods made within the EU, and it would complement existing EU supply chain frameworks. She said that small and medium-sized businesses would not be exempt, but the burden must be proportionate for them.
Officials will open public comment, called a "call for evidence" in the EU, in mid-May, the reporters said, and a bill is expected to get a vote sometime in September.