Key facts
- The US prohibits imports of goods made with forced labour under the Tariff Act of 1930 and the UFLPA.
- The UK's Modern Slavery Act requires companies to report on steps to address slavery and trafficking.
- The EU will ban products made with forced labour from its market starting December 14, 2027.
- Germany's Supply Chain Due Diligence Act requires large companies to address human rights risks.
- France's duty of vigilance law mandates companies to identify and prevent human rights risks in their supply chains.
The United States has proposed new tariffs on imports from 60 economies, accusing trading partners of failing to prevent goods made with forced labour from entering their markets. This action highlights how US rules compare with similar measures in Europe and Britain aimed at tackling forced labour in global supply chains.
The US Tariff Act of 1930 prohibits the importation of goods produced wholly or in part by forced labour, with U.S. Customs and Border Protection empowered to detain, exclude, or seize such items. Complementing this is the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA), effective since June 2022, which specifically targets goods made with state-sponsored forced labour from China's Xinjiang region.
In the UK, the Modern Slavery Act 2015 focuses on transparency, obliging companies to report on their efforts to combat slavery and human trafficking within their operations and supply chains, rather than imposing an import ban.
The European Union is set to implement a ban on products made with forced labour starting December 14, 2027. This regulation will prevent such goods from being sold within the EU market, regardless of whether they are imported or produced domestically.
Germany's Supply Chain Due Diligence Act requires companies with at least 1,000 employees to address human rights and environmental risks, including forced labour, in their supply chains, with potential fines and exclusion from public contracts for violations. France's duty of vigilance law similarly mandates large companies to establish plans to identify and prevent serious harm to human rights and the environment across their operations and supply chains.
The Netherlands has child-labour due-diligence legislation pending and will also be subject to the EU's forced-labour product ban. Finland is preparing national legislation to implement the EU ban, with a draft law expected to be submitted to parliament in autumn 2026. Norway's Transparency Act, in force since 2022, requires larger companies to conduct due diligence on human rights abuses and indecent working conditions and grants the public a right to information.