The European Parliament made a significant move on Tuesday by approving rules to ban the sale, import, and export of goods made using forced labor within the EU. This decision was primarily driven by concerns about human rights violations in the Chinese region of Xinjiang.
The United States had previously enacted a similar law in 2021 to protect its market from products potentially linked to human rights abuses in Xinjiang, where the U.S. government has accused China of committing genocide against Uyghur Muslims. Despite China’s denial of any wrongdoing in Xinjiang, the region is a major cotton producer and a key supplier of materials for solar panels worldwide.
Under the new rules, national authorities in the 27-country bloc or the executive Commission will have the power to investigate suspicious goods, supply chains, and manufacturers. If a product is found to have been made using forced labor, it will be prohibited from being sold in the EU market, and shipments will be intercepted at the borders.
Maria-Manuel Leitao-Marques, a Portuguese Member of the Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the Parliament, emphasized the importance of this law in combating human trafficking and forced labor. The law was approved by a large majority in the EU Parliament and now awaits approval from EU countries before it can come into effect. Once approved, EU countries will have three years to start implementing the new regulations.