After a strong campaign by the Socialists and Democrats, the
European Parliament today adopted a new law to exclude conflict
minerals from the European market. The law will introduce a legal
system to ensure the traceability of tin, tungsten, tantalum and
gold. These minerals and metals are vital for the production of
everyday items such as mobile phones and household appliances. The
Commission, the Council and the Conservatives in the European
Parliament were pushing for a voluntary system, but the S&Ds
led the charge to overturn this into a mandatory system, setting a
new global standard in responsible sourcing.
S&D Group leader Gianni Pittella said:
“Today’s vote is a milestone for a values-driven trade in
minerals. 95% of all conflict minerals imported into Europe will
now be covered by the new law. Products sold in the EU will no
longer fuel armed militias or foster human-rights violations in
conflict areas. I am proud that we succeeded in cutting off a
vital source of income for warlords, whilst not imposing
additional burdens on small EU businesses. This is a victory for
the S&D Group, but first and foremost it is a victory for
millions of men, women and children in Africa.”
S&D spokesperson on conflict minerals, Marie Arena
MEP, said:
“The Commission’s initial proposal would have created a weak
and ineffective system. We turned the Commission proposal
upside down. The law adopted today will create a European
market for responsibly traded minerals sourced in fragile
regions and will cover a vast majority of the supply chain by
mandatory due diligence standards and disclosure
requirements.
"We wanted to go even further, and we will. Through future
reviews built into the regulation we will continue to achieve a
fairer system. Our struggle continues, but a crucial step has
been taken today to break the vicious cycle."
