Combating forced labour

According to Article 2 of the International Labour Organization’s Convention No. 29, forced labour is any work or service that is exacted from a person under the threat of penalty and for which that person has not offered themselves voluntarily. Forced labour is a serious problem across the world.

The elimination of all forms of forced labour, including state-imposed forced labour, is one of the European Union’s priorities. The objective relates to Article 21 of the Treaty on the European Union, to the UN Sustainable Development Goal target 8.7, to Article 5 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, and to Article 4 of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. All EU Member States have also ratified the most important ILO Conventions on forced labour.

Prohibition of products made with forced labour on the EU market

On 14 September 2022, the European Commission submitted a proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council to prohibit products made with forced labour on the Union market (COM (2022) 453). The purpose of the proposal was to tackle a serious global problem and to promote accountability and a level playing field in the European market. The Commission stated it was unacceptable that goods produced by people who have been threatened or forced to work are sold in European shops. This was the first proposed EU-level regulation to ban products made with forced labour. 

The Forced Labour Regulation was adopted by the Council of the EU on 19 November 2024 and it entered into force on 13 December 2024. However, the Regulation will be applied in full as of 14 December 2027.

The Forced Labour Regulation prohibits the import, export and placing on the EU market of products made with forced labour. The Regulation will apply widely to all types of products, including their components. The Regulation does not include any limitations on the scope of application as regards the sector, the legal form of the economic entity or the extent of the operation. However, the prohibition of the Forced Labour Regulation applies specifically to products – it does not apply to services.

The European Commission and the competent authorities separately designated by the Member States based on the Regulation’s allocation of authority will be responsible for investigating and deciding the cases.  

The competent authorities will take a risk-based approach to ensure that companies comply with the Regulation. To carry out their tasks, the authorities may use information from databases or reports, or they may request information from other authorities. On the basis of this information, the competent authorities may request a company to report on its efforts to prevent and stop forced labour related to the product under assessment. The due diligence processes implemented by companies in their supply chains could have an effect on the authorities’ assessment. If the authorities deem that the information submitted by a company is insufficient and that the product involves a risk of forced labour, the authorities will start a more detailed investigation to assess the risks involved. If, following the investigation, the authorities conclude that the company has violated the Regulation by placing products made with forced labour on the market, the authorities may impose a prohibition on such products and order the company to withdraw and destroy them. The burden of proof that a company has violated the Regulation lies with the authorities, and decisions include the right of appeal. Customs authorities will monitor goods transport at the EU’s external borders to enforce compliance with the Regulation.

Implementation of the Forced Labour Regulation

The European Commission plays an important role in the preparation of the support measures laid down in the Regulation. The Commission has set up a web portal that contains all relevant information sources, such as information on national competent authorities, databases, guidelines and decisions on prohibitions.

More information on the national implementation of the EU Forced Labour Regulation is available on the project website at TEM084:00/2025.

The Government’s proposal supplementing the Regulation, which will, for example, establish a competent authority and determine sanctions for non-compliance with a prohibition decision, is scheduled to be submitted to Parliament in autumn 2026.

 

Inquiries: Nadine Hellberg-Lindqvist, Chief Specialist