Imports of minerals from conflict areas

Mineral-rich countries afflicted by conflicts may face a vicious circle, under which revenue from illegally extracted resources feed armed revolts. To break this link, international organisations and the European Parliament have called for the setting up of due-diligence systems for firms in the mining supply chain. The Commission submitted in March 2014 a proposal instituting a voluntary due-diligence system aimed at importers and upstream producers of tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold (hereafter 3T&G). The report by the International Trade Committee, to be discussed in the May plenary, introduces some important amendments with respect to the nature and scope of the due-diligence obligations.