A group of 16 NGOs, coalitions and trade unions, including IndustriAll European Trade Union, Clean Clothes Campaign Europe and the World Uyghur Congress, have written a joint letter to the European Commission, urging “impactful” amendments be made to its proposal on prohibiting products made with forced labour in the European Union.
The signatories indicate that the suggested amendments are necessary to make the proposed law effective, implementable, and significant for effectively eliminating commodities made with forced labour from the European Union.
The proposed amendments are:
- A key component of the legislation must be the provision of remedies for all workers (located in the EU and outside the EU) involved in forced labour.
- Regardless of whether they are based in the EU and hence fall under the purview of the Whistleblower Directive, all complainants ought to be safeguarded.
- The proposed Act should include provisions for acceptable lower evidentiary thresholds to begin an inquiry and make a conclusion.
- Avoid that due diligence measures reported by companies could be used as a defence against the opening of a full investigation.
- The European Commission should be designated as a competent authority.
- The regulation should establish a rebuttable presumption of forced labour.
- Bringing to an end the use of forced labour shall not mean disengagement with the economic operator except as a measure of last resort.
“Effectively prohibiting the placing and making available on the EU market as well as the export from the EU of products made with forced labour, including forced child labour,” is the proposal’s stated goal. Products that are both domestically and internationally produced are included.
