EU Initiative on Responsibly Importing Minerals from Conflict-Affected Regions

Briefing 01-12-2014

The European Commission has forwarded draft regulation to the European Parliament to limit the import of ’conflict minerals’. Including tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold, conflict minerals originate in countries and regions marked by armed conflict or the risk of conflict; the exports of these ‘conflict minerals’ are suspected of illicitly financing the army or other military groups. The initiative attempts to set-up a voluntary Union system for supply chain due diligence self-certification of responsible importers, smelters and refiners using these minerals.