On November 19, 2024, the Council of the European Union (EU) adopted the EU Regulation prohibiting products made with forced labour on the EU market. The regulation was published in the EU’s Official Journal on December 12, 2024, marking its official enforcement. It will take effect on December 14, 2027. The regulation bans the placement, availability, and export of products made with forced labour within or from the EU market. A summary of this regulation can be found here.

To support its implementation, the Regulation foresees the publication of several guidelines by the European Commission. One of them focuses on due diligence in relation to forced labour. These guidelines should take into account the size and resources of economic operators, the different types of suppliers along the supply chain, and the different sectors.

Clarifying what companies can be expected to do in terms of operationalising due diligence in relation to forced labour is essential. This requires taking into account the specificities of a given sector. This is why ICI, in close collaboration with the European Cocoa Association (ECA), following a multistakeholder consultation with members and partners, have published their Recommendations for Guidelines on due diligence in relation to forced labour in the cocoa sector.

French version coming soon.