Editor’s Note
This article highlights the EU’s 2017 regulation aimed at curbing the trade in conflict minerals—such as tin, tantalum, tungsten, and gold—often mined using forced labor to fund armed groups. The law seeks to prevent these materials from entering the EU market and to ensure responsible sourcing by global and European smelters and refiners.
In politically unstable areas, armed groups often use forced labour to mine minerals. They then sell those minerals to fund their activities, for example to buy weapons.
These so-called ‘conflict minerals’, such as tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold, can find their way into our mobile phones, cars and jewellery.
The EU passed a new regulation in May 2017 to stop:
– conflict minerals and metals from being exported to the EU;
– global and EU smelters and refiners from using conflict minerals; and
– mine workers from being abused.
The law also supports the development of local communities.
It requires EU companies to ensure they import these minerals and metals from responsible sources only.
The requirements began to apply on 1 January 2021.
As part of the EU policy on responsible sourcing of minerals, the Commission runs a voluntary platform – the ReMIS (Responsible Minerals Information System) – to increase transparency in mineral supply chains. Economic operators may register on the platform and publish their due diligence policies and broader efforts to ensure responsible supply chains of metals and minerals.
Under Article 8 of Regulation (EU) 2017/821, due diligence scheme owners may apply to the Commission to have their due diligence supply schemes recognised.
If the scheme is considered admissible, the Commission assesses it in terms of substance. The procedure is detailed in Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/429 and is based on the methodology developed by the OECD to assess due diligence schemes for minerals.
The Commission publishes updates on the state of play of its assessments of due diligence schemes.
Under Article 8(8) of Regulation (EU) 2017/821, the Commission shall establish and keep up-to-date a register of recognised supply chain due diligence schemes.
On 16 October 2025, the Commission adopted an Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/2071 recognising the equivalence of the ‘Responsible Minerals Assurance Process’, a supply chain due diligence scheme owned by the Responsible Minerals Initiative.
News article, 17 October 2025: First supply chain due diligence scheme recognised under Conflict Minerals Regulation to facilitate compliance.