The European Union is the world’s largest economy, the world’s largest trading block, and home to 500 million consumers. Every year, millions of euro worth of minerals flow into the EU from some of the poorest places on earth. No questions are asked about how they are extracted, or whether their trade fuels conflict in local communities. The EU has no legislation in place to ensure companies source their minerals responsibly. Now is the time for change.
The trade in resources – such as gold, diamonds, tantalum, tin, copper and coal – continues to perpetuate a cycle of conflict and human rights abuses in many fragile areas of the world. These resources enter global supply chains and end up in products that we use every day, such as aeroplanes, cars, mobile phones and laptops. These goods connect us to the hundreds of thousands who have been displaced by conflict in the Central African Republic and Colombia. They connect us also to the thousands who have endured years of violence and abuse in parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo, and to the unknown victims of shadowy intelligence organisations in Zimbabwe.
In March 2014, the European Commission put forward a draft regulation to address the trade in conflict minerals that, if passed, would fail to have a meaningful impact. It covers just four minerals: tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold. It is entirely voluntary, giving 300-400 importers of those minerals the option of sourcing responsibly and reporting publicly on their efforts to do so, through a process known as “supply chain due diligence”. The law would only cover a tiny proportion of EU companies involved
in the trade, and leaves out the tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold that enter the EU in products that we use every day.
The European Parliament’s International Trade Committee has since proposed some mandatory requirements – but these also apply to just a small fraction of the industry. The vast majority of companies involved – including some of those importing directly from conflict-affected and high-risk areas – would have no obligation to source responsibly. Companies importing products containing these minerals would be left entirely off the hook.
This is a landmark opportunity for progress. But the weak proposals on the table would leave Europe lagging behind global efforts, including mandatory requirements endorsed by the US and by twelve African countries.
You, as a Member of the Parliament, can make a difference. We are calling on you to vote on 20 May for a law that:
* Requires all companies bringing minerals into the EU – whether in their raw form or contained in products – to carry out supply chain due diligence and publicly report in line with international standards.
* Is flexible enough to cover, in the future, other resources that may be linked to conflict, human rights abuses and corruption.
Tackling the highly lucrative trade in conflict minerals will not, on its own, put an end to conflict, corruption or abuse. However, it is critical to securing long-term peace and stability in some of the most fragile and resource-rich areas of the world. As long as an illicit industry can flourish unchecked, the trade in conflict minerals will supply funds and motivation to violent and abusive actors. Those bearing the cost of our weak efforts to regulate this trade will be some of the poorest and most vulnerable citizens of the world. For them, inaction and irresponsible business comes at a serious cost.
Yours sincerely
- Amnesty International
- Global Witness
- ABColombia
- Ação Franciscana de Ecologia e Solidariede (AFES)
- Access Info Europe
- ACIDH, Action Contre l’Impunité pour les Droits Humains (Action Against Impunity for Human Rights)
- Acidi Congo
- ActionAid
- AEDH
- AEFJN (Africa Europe Faith & Justice Network)
- African Resources Watch (AFREWATCH)
- AK Rohstoffe, Germany
- ALBOAN Foundation
- Alburnus Maior (The Save Rosia Montana Campaign)
- Alternative Information and Development Centre (AIDC)
- Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP), Thailand
- Asociación Puente de Paz
- Associació Solidaritat Castelldefels – Kasando
- Atlantic Regional Solidarity Network
- Ayar West Development Organization
- Berne Declaration
- BirdLife Europe
- La Bretxa Àfrica
- Broederlijk Delen
- Business & Human Rights Resource Centre
- CATAPA
- CCFD-Terre Solidaire
- CEDIB (Centro de Documentación e Información Bolivia)
- Centre for Civil Society, Durban, South Africa
- Centro de Investigación y Estudios sobre Comercio y Desarrollo (CIECODE)
- Chiama l’Africa
- Chin Green Network
- Chinland Natural Resources Watch Group
- Christian Aid
- CIDSE
- CIR (Christliche Initiative Romero)
- CNCD-11.11.11 (Belgium)
- Coalition of the Flemish North-South Movement - 11.11.11
- Comité des Observateurs des Droits de l’Homme (CODHO)
- Commission Justice et Paix Belgique francophone
- Community Management Education Center
- Congo Calling
- Cordaid
- Cordillera Disaster Response and Development Services (CorDis RDS)
- CORE
- Diakonia
- DKA Austria – Hilfswerk der Katholischen Jungschar
- Earthworks
- Ecumenical Network Central Africa / Ökumenisches Netz Zentralafrika
- Ecumenical Council for Corporate Responsibility (Rt Revd Michael Doe, Chair)
- Enough Project
- Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF)
- Ethical Consumer Research Association
- European Coalition for Corporate Justice (ECCJ)
- European Network for Central Africa (EurAc)
- FASTENOPFER/ Swiss Catholic Lenten Fund
- FDCL (Center for Research and Documentation Chile-Latin America)
- FIfF e.V.
- FIDH
- Focus on the Global South
- FOCSIV (a federation of 70 Italian Catholic NGOs)
- Forum Syd, Sweden
- Foundation Max van der Stoel
- Franciscan’s OFM JPIC Office, Rome
- Friends of the Earth Europe
- Friends of the Earth Spain
- Fundación Jubileo - Bolivia
- The Gaia Foundation (UK)
- GATT-RN
- German NGO Forum on Environment and Development / Forum Umwelt und Entwicklung
- Global Initiative for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
- Global Policy Forum
- Green Network Sustainable Environment Group
- “Grupo Pro Africa” Network
- Habi Center for Environmental Rights, Cairo
- Hands of Unity Group
- IBIS
- Info Birmanie
- Indigenous Peoples Link (PIPLinks)
- Informationsstelle Peru (Germany)
- INKOTA-netzwerk e.V.
- Integrate: Business and Human Rights
- International Indian Treaty Council
- International-Lawyers.Org (INTLawyers)
- Investors Against Genocide
- Jamaa Resource Initiatives, Kenya
- Jesuit European Social Centre (JESC)
- Jesuit Missions
- Jesuitenmission Deutschland
- Jubilee Australia
- Just Minerals Campaign
- Justícia i Pau
- Khan Kaneej Aur ADHIKAR (Mines minerals & RIGHTS)
- kolko - Menschenrechte für Kolumbien e.V. (kolko - human rights for Colombia)
- Koordinierungsstelle der Österreichischen Bischofskonferenz für internationale Entwicklung und Mission (KOO)
- London Mining Network
- Magway EITI Watch Group
- Magway Youth Forum
- Marinduque Council for Environmental Concerns (MaCEC)
- Medicus Mundi Alava
- Milieudefensie / Friends of the Earth Netherlands
- Mineral Policy Institute
- mines, minerals & PEOPLE (MMP)
- MiningWatch Canada
- Mining Watch Romania Network
- Misereor
- Mundubat
- Mwetaung Area Development Group
- Myaing Youth Development Organization
- The Natural Resource Women Platform
- NITLAPAN-UCA, Nicaragua
- Observatorio de Responsabilidad Social Corporativa
- Oidhaco (a European network of 36 NGOs)
- ONGAWA Ingeniería para el Desarrollo Humano
- Organic Agro and Farmer Affair Development Group
- Oxfam France
- Partnership Africa Canada
- PAX for Peace
- Pax Christi, Deutsche Sektion
- People for People
- Polish Institute for Human Rights and Business
- Pon and Ponnya Hill Resources Watch Group
- PowerShift e.V. (Germany)
- PREMICONGO (Protection des écorégions de miombo au Congo)
- Publish What You Pay International
- PWYP – Liberia
- PWYP UK
- REDES (a network of 54 NGOs)
- Research Group "Human rights and globalization”
- Réseau Belge Ressources Naturelles-Belgisch Netwerk Natuurlijke Rijkdommen
- Rete Pace per il Congo
- RODHECIC
- Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund (SCIAF)
- Servicio Agropecuario para la Investigación y Promoción Económica (SAIPE)
- Shwe Gas Movement (SGM)
- Sherpa
- SJ Around the Bay
- Slovak Centre for Communication and Development
- Social Care Volunteer Group
- Social Program Aid for Civil Education (SPACE)
- SOLdePaz.Pachakuti
- Solidarietà e Cooperazione CIPSI
- SOMO
- Stop Mad Mining
- Südwind, Austria
- SÜDWIND e.V., Germany
- Swedwatch
- Swiss Working Group on Colombia / Grupo de Trabajo Suiza Colombia
- Synergies des Femmes pour les victimes des Violences Sexuelles (SFVS)
- Torang Trust
- Wacam
- Walk Free
- Wan Lark Rural Development Foundation Rakhaine (Arakan)
- Welthaus Diözese Graz-Seckau
- Welthaus of the Diocese of Linz
- Zomi Student Association (Universities Myanmar)
- 88 Rakhine Generation Social Development Organization