Civil society note on implementation of the new EU Regulation on due diligence in mineral supply chains

PRESS RELEASE

27 March 2018

In its latest joint briefing "Advice Note to Companies, Member States, and the European Commission", the European Network for Central Africa (EurAc) along with 15 other civil society organisations, brings attention to the EU Regulation on due diligence in mineral supply chains and the obligations it entails for Union importers of tin, tantalum, and tungsten and gold (3TG)  originating from conflict-affected and high-risk areas.

The EU Regulation on due diligence in mineral supply chains came into force on 8 June 2017. It aims to disrupt links between conflict, human rights abuses, and the global minerals trade, by requiring companies bringing ores and metals of 3TG into the EU—from anywhere in the world—to do so responsibly. The Regulation is based on the existing, internationally-endorsed, OECD standard for responsible mineral supply chains.

The Regulation requires importers of 3TGs to carry out supply chain due diligence on the supply chains, as a tool to source responsibly from high-risk areas. The European Commission and EU Member States are also encouraging companies further down mineral supply chains to do the same, in line with the OECD standard.

While the majority of the Regulation’s requirements won’t take full effect until 1 January 2021, the Commission has encouraged all companies to start carrying out due diligence on their supply chains before that date. Some of the Regulation’s obligations on Member States and the Commission have already come into effect. The practices required by the Regulation are not new, and are all consistent with standards for responsible business conduct endorsed and encouraged by the EU since at least 2011.

This note provides practical guidance and recommendations to support companies, Member States, and the Commission to fulfil their obligations under the Regulation and linked commitments.

Click here to download the note on the implementation.

For media enquiry and/or more information please contact:

Giuseppe Cioffo – Programme and Policy Officer – EurAc

Office: +32 2 725 47 70 // Mobile: +32 490 43 76 70

giuseppe.cioffo@eurac-network.org