Regulation prohibiting products made with forced labor from entering the EU market approved

The Regulation on prohibiting products made with forced labor on the Union market seeks to prohibit the sale in the EU market, or the export from the EU market, of products made with forced labor.

It provides for the European Commission to set up a database of specific geographic areas or products where there is a risk of forced labor.

Where there is a substantiated concern of non-compliance with the prohibition provided for in the regulation, the European Commission or the competent national authority shall conduct an investigation. Where it concludes that the products have been produced with forced labor, it shall prohibit the making available of the products on the EU market (or their export) and shall require the economic operator to withdraw the products from the market and dispose of them (by recycling or donating them and, if not possible, by destroying them).

The regulation states that the Member States shall establish the penalties that will apply in the event of non-compliance with the decision adopted by the competent authority. The penalties must be effective, proportionate and dissuasive.

The regulation has to be adopted by the Council before its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. It will enter into force on the day following that of its publication and will apply in the Member States 3 years later.