Forced labour: Council adopts position to ban products made with forced labour on the EU market

The Council mandate clarifies the scope of the regulation by including products offered for distance sales, envisages the creation of a forced labour single portal, and reinforces the role of the Commission in investigating and proving the use of forced labour, while aligning the proposed measures with both international standards and EU legislation. [...] Council's mandate The Council negotiating mandate envisages the establishment of the Union Network against Forced Labour Products in order to ensure better coordination between the competent authorities and the Commission in the application of this regulation. [...] The Council position anticipates the necessary collaboration between the competent Member State authorities and the Commission in the application of the forced labour ban regulation so as to ensure that its enforcement and implementation are in line with the requirements of the corporate sustainability due diligence directive and the whistleblowers directive. [...] Commission’s role in investigations and decisions To reduce the administrative burden and simplify the allocation of cases, the mandate strengthens the role of the European Commission. [...] Investigations The Council mandate simplifies coordination in cases of cross-border investigations, with the designation of a lead competent authority (which will launch the preliminary phase and ensure the continuity of the investigation and the participation of other authorities) and with greater involvement of the Union Network against Forced Labour Products to ensure transparency and a Union a.