The EU promotes decent work across all sectors and policy areas in line with a comprehensive approach that also considers core labour standards such as the elimination of forced labour.

The ILO estimates that 27.6 million people are in a situation of forced labour globally. ILO defines forced labour as work or services that are being extracted under the threat of a penalty and for which one has not offered themselves voluntarily.

The European Commission has recently developed a legislative proposal which will effectively prohibit the placing on the EU market of products made with forced labour, as well as their export from the EU.

The proposal covers all products, namely those made in the EU for domestic consumption and exports, and imported goods, without targeting specific companies or industries.

National authorities will be empowered to withdraw from the EU market products made with forced labour, following an investigation. EU customs authorities will identify and stop products made with forced labour at EU borders.

The proposal now needs to be discussed and agreed by the European Parliament and the Council before it can enter into force. Find out more about this proposal here.