Our work in the EU
Since 2017, our work in the European Union has focused on calling for the EU to introduce stronger laws and policy that will ensure corporations take meaningful steps to prevent forced labour and that victims of forced labour can access justice.
As the world’s largest consumer market, the EU has huge potential to take effective action to prevent forced labour in global supply chains. Over 16 million people are estimated to be in forced labour in the private sector, which includes people producing the materials in goods or products exported to the EU, as well as products produced in the EU. This includes, for example, wine from France, seafood from Thailand, minerals for technology from the Democratic Republic of Congo, and cotton from Turkmenistan and the Uyghur Region in China.
Our advocacy includes calling on the EU to:
- Implement, enforce and improve mandatory human rights and environmental due diligence legislation. These laws allow for companies to be held accountable for environmental and human rights impacts, including forced labour, and ensure victims can access remedy and justice
- Implement import controls to block or seize products made with forced labour.
- Strengthen the attention to forced labour in trade policy.
How we work:
- Together with our EU allies, we advocate directly to European institutions, including the European Parliament, the European Commission and the Council of the European Union.
- We support our civil society partners from around the world to participate in policy advocacy. We believe that the EU must directly consult with workers, trade unions, and civil society where forced labour is the most prevalent.
- We engage with supportive businesses to support our campaigns.
- We develop resources with partners on key issues related to these laws and policies aimed at strengthening implementation and adoption.
EU Forced Labour Regulation
Since 2021, Anti-Slavery International and ECCHR have been advocating for the EU to introduce import controls to block or seize goods made or transported in whole or in part with forced labour,
As part of our advocacy in this area, we published a model law with the key elements that would create a worker-centred Regulation, analysis on evidentiary standards, an initial position paper, as well as a submission of evidence to the European Commission.
The EU Forced Labour Regulation was adopted in 2024, prohibiting goods made with forced labour from being traded on the EU market. The regulation will be in full application in December 2027 and will require authorities to investigate supply chains and order products made with forced labour to be removed from the market.
We are now working with our partners in the EU and around the world to ensure this legislation drives better business practices globally, improves the lives of workers worldwide, and stops companies profiting from forced labour in their supply chains.
On 11 February 2025, together with the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR), we published an essential analysis that explains the provisions of the EU Forced Labour Regulation, and outlines what needs to be done for implementation.
Anti-Slavery International, together with a number of allies, has developed this position paper on the designation of Competent Authorities under the Forced Labour Regulation.
Anti-Slavery, together with a number of allies, has developed a guide on due diligence in the context of state-imposed forced labour.
EU mandatory human rights and environmental due diligence
In March 2026, the amended EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) took effect. The CSDDD represents a major advancement in promoting responsible business conduct within and beyond the EU, holding companies accountable for human rights and environmental harm resulting from their activities.
We are now working with our partners in the EU and around the world to ensure this legislation drives actual respect for people and the planet.
For the latest news on our EU campaigns, check out our blogs.
In partnership with Anti-Slavery International and other civil society organisations, the European Coalition for Corporate Justice (ECCJ) published the Transposition Guide for the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD).
This essential guide provides key insights and recommendations for the upcoming transposition phase of this EU directive.
In this analysis, Anti-Slavery International identifies critical gaps in the CSDDD and provides ways to overcome them. These include limitations on the scope and the burden of proof still being placed on claimants seeking justice.
You can read the in-depth analysis of the Directive here.
The Corporate Sustainable Development Directive will chain the behavior of companies, whether they are covered by the directive, or a business partner of the a company that is covered.
Read more here.