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In Canada

2025 Canadian Trade and Customs Outlook: Forced Labour

by , and 12 Mins Read

Baker McKenzie’s Canadian international trade and customs team is publishing a series of articles reviewing 2024 trade and customs compliance developments and looking ahead to 2025’s burgeoning issues. This article focuses on Canadian legislative and enforcement developments in combatting forced and child labour. Before we dive into Canada’s commitments to combatting forced and child labour, here is an overview of the current state of politics in Canada, which includes a discussion of the legislative powers…

In European Commission

EU Forced Labour Regulation adopted and published in the EU Official Journal

by , and 2 Mins Read

On 12 December, the EU Forced Labour Regulation (“Regulation”) was published in the EU Official Journal. The publication is following the EU Council’s approval of the Regulation on 19 November 2024. The text of the Regulation was approved by qualified majority with 25 EU Member States voting in favour and 2 EU Member States abstaining from voting. The Regulation was signed by the President of the European Parliament and the President of the EU Council…

In Forced Labor

Update on Canadian Modern Slavery Reporting

by and 9 Mins Read

Following the first year of reporting under Canada’s Fighting Against Forced Labour and Child Labour in Supply Chains Act (the “Supply Chains Act”), Public Safety Canada has presented its inaugural annual report to Parliament and published updated guidance on the reporting requirements. As we look ahead to the upcoming year, it is important for companies to assess their reporting obligations and maintain their current momentum in preparation for the next reporting period. On November 15, 2024, Public…

In ESG

Supply Chain Due Diligence in the EU – FAQs on the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD)

by , , and 7 Mins Read

On July 25, 2024 the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) came into force. Generally, the directive imposes new due diligence obligations on large companies operating in the EU. The legislator requires them to identify, prevent, mitigate, and remediate human rights violations and environmental impacts throughout their entire “chain of actions”. The member states shall transpose the CSDDD into national law by July 26, 2026. As businesses are trying to navigate through this evolving regulatory…

In Forced Labor

European Union: European Council approves Forced Labour Regulation

by , , , and 3 Mins Read

On 13 March 2024, the European Council and European Parliament agreed the final text of the proposed EU Forced Labour Regulation (“Regulation“). This follows negotiations between the EU Council and Parliament which took place on 22 January 2024 and the European Council and European Parliament reaching a provisional agreement on the Regulation on 5 March 2024. The European Commission had initially proposed the Regulation on 14 September 2022. For information on the key similarities and differences between the existing US…

In Forced Labor

EU to Ban Products made with Forced Labour

by , and 2 Mins Read

The EU has held political talks on a law that will ban the sale on the EU market of products made with forced labour, as well as the export of such products from the EU. On 22 January 2024, the EU Council and Parliament held negotiations to agree the final text of the regulation, the proposal for which was published by the EU Commission in September 2022. The Committee on International Trade and the Committee on Internal…

In EUROPEAN UNION

Corporate sustainability due diligence: The European Council and the European Parliament have finally reached a provisional agreement with the aim to protect the environment and human rights

by and 4 Mins Read

On 14 December 2023, the European Council[1] and the European Parliament[2] announced that they have reached a provisional agreement on the new Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (“CSDDD”), which sets out obligations for companies to mitigate their negative impact on human rights and the environment, around issues such as child labor, slavery, labor exploitation, biodiversity loss, pollution and environmental degradation. This provisional agreement marks a significant milestone in the legislative process of introducing the CSDDD…

In Compliance

Public Safety Canada Issues Guidance on Canada’s New Supply Chain Transparency Legislation

by , and 1 Min Read

On December 20, 2023, Public Safety Canada launched its online filing portal and issued guidance with respect to the novel annual supply chain transparency reporting requirement pursuant to the Fighting against Forced Labour and Child Labour in Supply Chains Act (the Act), which comes into force on January 1, 2024 (Guidance). The Guidance provides information on the format and filing process for the annual report, the substance of the annual report and the interpretation of the Act. The first reports are due…

In Forced Labor

Update: EU forced labour market ban proposal

by 2 Mins Read

On Monday 16 October, the Internal Market and International Trade committees of the European Parliament adopted their position on the European Commission’s proposal for a Regulation introducing a ban on the placing and making available on the EU market, or export from the EU market, of products made using forced labour (published on 14 September 2022). The following amendments have been proposed: Plenary will have to confirm the draft report as the European Parliament’s negotiating…

In Compliance

Due Diligence in Supply Chains – Update on human rights and environmental due diligence requirements in the EU

by 3 Mins Read

Soon, substantial penalties can be expected for non-compliance with the proposed Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (“CSDDD”) which oblige companies to implement due diligence processes to address their adverse impact on slavery, child labor, labor exploitation, biodiversity loss, pollution, and environmental degradation. What is new? On 23 February 2022, the EU Commission proposed the CSDDD.[1] Later, on 30 November 2022 the EU Council adopted its negotiating position (“general approach”) on the CSDDD.[2] Recently, on 1…

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