The Commission’s guidance gives businesses greater clarity on risk assessment, evidence and remediation ahead of the EU’s Forced Labour Regulation
The countdown has begun for businesses to prepare for the EU’s Forced Labour Regulation, as the European Commission has set out how authorities will investigate products suspected of being made with forced labour when the rules begin to apply on 14 December 2027.
The legislation addresses a global problem affecting an estimated 27.6 million people in situations of forced labour, producing goods that reach markets worldwide, including the EU.
The Regulation prohibits products made with forced labour from being placed on the EU market or exported from it, regardless of where they were produced. Unlike traditional due diligence legislation, however, it does not impose a mandatory due diligence obligation. Instead, it establishes a simple outcome: products made with forced labour cannot enter or remain on the EU market.
Although companies are not legally required to conduct due diligence under the Regulation, the Commission makes clear that businesses able to demonstrate robust risk management will be better placed if they become the subject of an investigation.
