Skip to content
Magazine
Friday, August 1, 2025
SUBSCRIBE
  • About Us
  • Belgium News
    • Belgium Police News
    • Brussels News
  • EU Institutions News
    • European Commission News
    • European Parliament News
    • European Council News
  • Europe News
  • World News
  • Belgium Business News
  • Culture and Society News
  • In Depth
    • Ambassador’s Corner
    • The American Angle
    • Sustainable Perspective
    • Europe With Transparency
    • Place de la Bourse
    • The Macro-Economist
    • Southeast Europe
  • About Us
  • Belgium News
    • Belgium Police News
    • Brussels News
  • EU Institutions News
    • European Commission News
    • European Parliament News
    • European Council News
  • Europe News
  • World News
  • Belgium Business News
  • Culture and Society News
  • In Depth
    • Ambassador’s Corner
    • The American Angle
    • Sustainable Perspective
    • Europe With Transparency
    • Place de la Bourse
    • The Macro-Economist
    • Southeast Europe
SUBSCRIBE

European Parliament Targets China with Ban on Forced Labour Products

Sarhan Basem by Sarhan Basem
11 May 2024
in European Parliament News
European Parliament Targets China with Ban on Forced Labour Products

Credit: "Kindly attribute Al Jazeera when reposting this."

Brussels (Brussels Morning) – The European Parliament plans to ban products linked to forced labour, primarily aimed at China. This move seeks to combat human rights abuses and uphold ethical trade practices.

The European Parliament has endorsed sweeping new regulations designed to stamp out products tainted with forced labour from the EU market. The new law – ratified on Tuesday with 555 votes in acceptance, 6 against and 45 abstentions – is developed to clean up both the bloc’s import and export markets from connections to modern slavery and human rights violations.

Breaking: European Parliament votes through forced labour ban by a landslide

555 votes in favour, 6 votes against and 45 abstention

Now needs member states' final approval before entering lawhttps://t.co/FVY6tnRAq2

— Finbarr Bermingham (@fbermingham) April 23, 2024

According to Euronews, Despite involving products manufactured anywhere in the world, the law is noticed as a deliberate move against nations such as Turkmenistan or China, where there is documented evidence of state-sponsored forced labour.

How Will the EU Commission Handle Investigations?

Under the new law rubber-stamped on Tuesday and anticipated to come into force in 2027 pending final consent of member states, national authorities will be capable of launching investigations into products with doubted links to forced labour, and ban such products from the EU market.

In case of apprehensions related to countries outside the bloc, the EU Commission will be able to begin probes and call on third-country governments to perform inspections on the suspected cases of slave labour.

What Consequences Await Non-Compliant Companies?

Products driven from forced labour seen to be already on the EU market will be donated, recycled or eradicated, and companies failing to implement the rules will face proportionate and dissuasive penalties, to be defined by the member states.

“This is good news for consumers, and also for European companies, which are currently suffering from imports dumping from regions with forced labour,” stated Green MEP Anna Cavazzini ahead of the vote.

The move seeks to curb a worrying trend of inexpensive products made from forced labour pervading throughout the EU market, as well as an expansion in the number of people in forced labour and a boom in illegal profits over the past decade.

Why is the Move Significant for European Businesses?

The International Labour Organisation assesses that at least 28 million people around the world are in a situation of forced labour, rendering a total of $236 billion (€217 billion) a year.

A recent report found connections between dozens of major European clothing brands and forced labour in internment camps in China’s Xinjiang region, where there is recorded evidence of systemic abuses against Uyghurs and other minority ethnic groups.

The report figured that brands such as Sweden-based H&M and Zara – a Spanish multinational – could be sourcing fabrics made by Uyghurs in the notorious confinement camps in Xinjiang, the province which accounts for a calculated 90% of Chinese cotton and some 20% of world supply.

In the US, a 2021 regulation bans goods manufactured in Xinjiang, with importers lawfully obliged to provide proof any products linked to the region are made without forced labour.

Last year, US lawmakers undertook an investigation into Chinese-owned retail giants Shein and Temu – which have witnessed immense growth in the EU market – as well as Adidas and Nike for likely links to Uyghur forced labour.

First tabled by the EU Commission in September 2022, the EU bill has met multiple hurdles and long delays, with many worrying it would not be wrapped up in the current mandate.

But a quick deal was struck between the parliament and EU capitals in early March, letting the hemicycle deliver its green light during this week’s marathon final sitting before June’s European elections.

Related News:

  • EU Parliament and Council strikes a deal to ban goods with forced labor
  • New report shows “depth of industry links to Uyghur forced labour”
  • EU crackdown planned on forced labour
  • European Parliament look ahead — Cross-border health, climate targets, EU-Russia and China, Data Governance Act
Next Post
Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo Supports UNRWA Report Questioning Israel's Evidence

Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo Supports UNRWA Report Questioning Israel's Evidence

Latest post

EU-elections-UK

EU elections: UK looks on from the “outside”

1 year ago
Galeries-Royales-Saint-Hubert

What Makes Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert an “Institution”?

1 year ago

Most Read

    Follow Brussels Morning
    Facebook Twitter Youtube Linkedin

    Browse Important News

    Belgium News
    Brussels News
    Culture and Society News
    Economy News
    EU Institutions News
    European Commission News
    European Council News
    European Parliament News
    Europe News
    Health And Fitness News
    Southeast Europe News
    Sustainable Perspective
    World News
    Diplomacy News
    US Elections News

    About Us

    Brussels Morning is a daily online newspaper based in Belgium. BM publishes unique and independent coverage on international and European affairs. With a Europe-wide perspective, BM covers policies and politics of the EU, significant Member State developments, and looks at the international agenda with a European perspective.

    More Info

    • About Us
    • Advertise With Us
    • Contact Us
    • Cookies Policy

    Join Our Newsletter

    Brussels Morning Newspaper – All Rights Reserved © 2024

    No Result
    View All Result
    • Home
    • About Us
    • Belgium News
      • Belgium Police News
      • Brussels News
    • Brussels Bubble
      • European Parliament News
      • European Commission News
      • European Council News
    • Wider Europe
      • Member States
    • World News
    • Business & Society
    • Europe With Transparency
    • Culture & Society
    • Policy Talks
      • Place de la Bourse
      • The Macro-Economist
      • Sustainable Perspective
      • Ambassador’s Corner
      • The American Angle
      • Southeast Europe
    • Print Magazine

    Brussels Morning Newspaper - All Rights Reserved © 2020

    We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
    Cookie settingsACCEPT
    Privacy & Cookies Policy

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
    Non-necessary
    Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
    SAVE & ACCEPT