The EU Commission and the European External Action Service (EEAS) have published a Guidance on due diligence to help companies located in the EU to address the risk of forced labour in their operations and supply chains. According to the EEAS press release, the new guidance shall enhance companies’ capacity to eradicate forced labour from their value chains by providing concrete, practical advice on how to identify, prevent, mitigate and address its risk. At the same time the new guidance aims to implement the new EU Trade Strategy to promote responsible and sustainable value chains published in February 2021.

The non-binding guidance also provides an overview of international standards and principles on responsible business conduct and due diligence relevant to combatting forced labour, including the OECD Due Diligence Guidance For Responsible Business Conduct, the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) fundamental conventions.