A Milestone for Responsible Sourcing
On June 16, 2016, the European Union reached a political agreement to restrict the trade in conflict minerals. This agreement aims to stop the mineral trade from financing armed groups. Under its terms, EU companies must take responsibility when they source tin, tantalum, tungsten, and gold. As a result, they need to ensure that global supply chains stay free from conflict and forced labor.
Strong Political Commitment
Lilianne Ploumen voiced the EU’s position clearly: “The EU is committed to preventing the international trade in minerals from financing warlords, criminals and human rights violators.” Her statement underlines a strong commitment to international peace, human rights protection, and social responsibility across global supply chains.
Broad Support from Key Decision-Makers
Moreover, several leading figures backed the agreement:
- Bernd Lange, Chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on International Trade
- Iuliu Winkler, rapporteur on the conflict minerals trade agreement
- Cecilia Malmström, EU Trade Commissioner
In addition, the implementation of this framework will build on the OECD Due Diligence Guidelines for Responsible Mineral Procurement. These guidelines help ensure the effective enforcement of EU regulations.
Our Commitment as a Supplier
As a supplier, we will strictly follow this regulatory framework. Furthermore, we will urge other suppliers to comply with the relevant EU regulations. Together, we can achieve three goals:
- Keep supply chains ethical and compliant.
- Avoid any support for conflict.
- Prevent any involvement of forced labor.
Next Steps and Outlook
Finally, this political understanding sets the stage for future technical work and the eventual adoption of the rules. If you have questions about conflict minerals issues or EU regulations, we are always ready to provide further information and support. Thank you for your attention to this issue. We look forward to working together on ethical standards in global supply chains.
