(1)

Natural mineral resources in conflict-affected or high risk areas — although holding great potential for development — can be a cause of dispute where their revenues are fuelling the outbreak or continuation of violent conflict, undermining national endeavours towards development, good governance and the rule of law. In these areas, breaking the nexus between conflict and illegal exploitation of minerals is critical to peace and stability.

(1)

Natural mineral resources in conflict-affected or high risk areas — although holding great potential for development — can be a cause of dispute where their revenues are fuelling the outbreak or continuation of violent conflict, undermining endeavours towards development, good governance and the rule of law. In these areas, breaking the nexus between conflict and illegal exploitation of minerals is a critical element in guaranteeing peace , development and stability.

(1a)

Human rights abuses are common within the extractive industry and may include child labour, sexual violence, enforced disappearance, forced resettlement and the destruction of ritually or culturally significant sites.

(2)

The issue concerns resource-rich regions where the challenge posed by the desire to minimise the financing of armed groups and security forces has been taken up by governments and international organisations together with business operators and civil society organisations.

(2)

The issue concerns resource-rich areas where the challenge posed by the desire to prevent the financing of armed groups and security forces has been taken up by governments and international organisations together with business operators and civil society organisations , including women's organisations that are at the forefront of drawing attention to the exploitative conditions imposed by these groups, as well as to rape and violence used to control local populations .

(5a)

This Regulation is one of the ways of eliminating the financing of armed groups by means of controlling trade of minerals from conflict regions; this does not alter the fact that the European Union’s foreign and development policy actions should focus on countering local corruption and the porosity of borders, and on providing training for local populations and their representatives in order to highlight abuses.

(7)

On 7 October 2010, the European Parliament passed a Resolution calling for the Union to legislate along the lines of the US ‘conflict minerals’ law alias Section 1502 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act; and the Commission announced in its Communications of 2011 and 2012 its intention to explore ways of improving transparency throughout the supply chain, including aspects of due diligence. In the latter communication and in line with the commitment it had made at the May 2011 OECD Ministerial Council, the Commission also advocated greater support for and use of the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, and of the OECD Due Diligence Guidance — even outside the OECD membership.

(7)

In its resolutions of 7 October 2010 , of 8 March 2011, of 5 July 2011 and of 26 February 2014 , the European Parliament called for the Union to legislate along the lines of the US ‘conflict minerals’ law alias Section 1502 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act; and the Commission announced in its Communications of 2011 and 2012 its intention to explore ways of improving transparency throughout the supply chain, including aspects of due diligence. In the latter communication and in line with the commitment it had made at the May 2011 OECD Ministerial Council, the Commission also advocated greater support for and use of the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, and of the OECD Due Diligence Guidance — even outside the OECD membership.

(8)

Union citizens and civil society actors have raised awareness with respect to companies operating under the Union's jurisdiction for not being held accountable for their potential connection to the illicit extraction and trade of minerals from conflict regions. The consequence is that such minerals, potentially present in consumer products, link consumers to conflicts outside the Union. To this end, citizens have requested, notably through petitions, that legislation be proposed to the European Parliament and the Council holding companies accountable under the Guidelines as established by the UN and OECD.

(8)

Union citizens and civil society actors have raised awareness with respect to companies operating under the Union's jurisdiction for not being held accountable for their potential connection to the illicit extraction and trade of minerals from conflict regions. The consequence is that such minerals, potentially present in consumer products, link consumers to conflicts outside the Union. As such, consumers are indirectly linked to conflicts that have severe impacts on human rights, notably the rights of women, as armed groups often use mass rape as a deliberate strategy to intimidate and control local populations in order to protect their interests. To this end, citizens have requested, notably through petitions, that legislation be proposed to the European Parliament and the Council holding companies accountable under the Guidelines as established by the UN and OECD.

(9a)

The Regulation reflects the need for due diligence along the entire supply chain from the sourcing site to the final product, by requiring all companies who first place covered resources, including products that contain those resources on the Union market to conduct and publicly report on their supply chain due diligence. In line with the nature of due diligence, the individual due diligence obligations contained in this Regulation should reflect the progressive and flexible nature of due diligence processes, and the need for obligations that are appropriately tailored to enterprises' individual circumstances. Obligations should be tailored to a company's size, leverage, and position in its supply chain.

(11a)

Directive 2014/95/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council  (1bis) requires companies with more than 500 employees to disclose information on a number of policies including human rights, anti-corruption and supply chain due diligence. That Directive provides for the Commission to develop guidelines in order to facilitate the disclosure of this information. The Commission should consider including in those guidelines performance indicators with regard to responsible sourcing of minerals and metals.

(11b)

Many existing supply chain due diligence systems could contribute to achieving the aims of this Regulation. There already exist industry schemes aimed at breaking the link between conflict and the sourcing of tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold. Those schemes use independent third-party audits to certify smelters and refiners with systems in place to ensure responsible sourcing of minerals only. Those industry schemes could be recognised in the Union system. However, the criteria and procedures for such schemes to be recognised as equivalent to the requirements of this Regulation need to be clarified to allow for respect for high standards and the avoidance of double auditing.

(12)

Union companies have expressed their interest through the public consultation in the responsible sourcing of minerals and reported on current industry schemes designed to pursue their corporate social responsibility objectives, customer requests, or the security of their supplies. However, Union companies have also reported countless difficulties in the exercise of supply chain due diligence because of lengthy and complex global supply chains involving a high number of operators that are often insufficiently aware or ethically unconcerned. The cost of responsible sourcing and their potential impact on competitiveness notably on SMEs should be monitored by the Commission.

(12)

Union companies have expressed their interest through the public consultation in the responsible sourcing of minerals and reported on current industry schemes designed to pursue their corporate social responsibility objectives, customer requests, or the security of their supplies. However, Union companies have also reported countless difficulties and practical challenges in the exercise of supply chain due diligence because of lengthy and complex global supply chains involving a high number of operators that are often insufficiently aware or ethically unconcerned. The cost of responsible sourcing , third party auditing, their administrative consequences and their potential impact on competitiveness notably on SMEs should be closely monitored and reported by the Commission. The Commission should provide micro- small and medium size enterprises with technical and financial assistance and should facilitate the exchange of information in order to implement this Regulation . SMEs established in the Union which import minerals and metals and which establish due diligence systems should receive financial aid through the Commission’s COSME programme.

(12a)

Companies established in the Union operating downstream of the supply chain that voluntarily establish a responsible sourcing system for minerals and metals should be certified by the Member States’ competent authorities by means of a label. The Commission should rely on the OECD Due Diligence Guidance to set out the criteria for the granting of certification and, to that end, may consult the OECD Secretariat. The conditions for granting the ‘European certification of responsibility’ should be as stringent as those required by the OECD certification system. Companies benefitting from the ‘European certification of responsibility’ are encouraged to indicate this fact on their website and to include it in the information given to European consumers.

(13)

Smelters and refiners are an important point in global mineral supply chains as they are typically the last stage in which due diligence can effectively be assured by collecting, disclosing and verifying information on the mineral's origin and chain of custody. After this stage of transformation it is often considered unfeasible to trace back the origins of minerals. A Union list of responsible smelters and refiners could therefore provide transparency and certainty to downstream companies as regards supply chain due diligence practices.

(13)

Smelters and refiners are an important point in global mineral supply chains as they are typically the last stage in which due diligence can effectively be assured by collecting, disclosing and verifying information on the mineral's origin and chain of custody. After this stage of transformation it is often considered unfeasible to trace back the origins of minerals. The same applies to recycled metals, which have undergone even further steps in the transformation process.  A Union list of responsible smelters and refiners could therefore provide transparency and certainty to downstream companies as regards supply chain due diligence practices. In accordance with the OECD Due Diligence Guidance, upstream undertakings such as smelters and refiners should undergo an independent third-party audit of their supply chain due diligence practices, with a view to also being included in the list of responsible smelters and refiners.

(13a)

Smelters and refiners which process and import minerals and concentrates thereof should have an obligation to apply the Union system for supply chain due diligence.

(13b)

All minerals and metals within the scope of this Regulation should be used in accordance with the requirements laid down herein. It is essential that importers comply with the provisions of this Regulation.

(15a)

In order to guarantee the efficient implementation of this Regulation, provision should be made for a two-year transitional period to allow the Commission to set up a third-party audit system and for responsible importers to become familiar with their obligations under this Regulation.

(15b)

The Commission should regularly review its financial assistance and political commitments with regard to conflict-affected and high risk areas where tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold are mined, especially in the Great Lake Region, in order to ensure policy coherence, and in order to incentivise and strengthen the respect for good governance, the rule of law but above all ethical mining.

(16)

The Commission should report regularly to the Council and the European Parliament on the effects of the scheme. No later than three years after entering into force and every six years thereafter, the Commission should review the functioning and the effectiveness of this Regulation, including as regards the promotion of responsible sourcing of the minerals within its scope from conflict-affected and high-risk areas. The reports may be accompanied, if necessary, by appropriate legislative proposals, which may include mandatory measures,

(16)

The Commission should report regularly to the European Parliament and the Council on the effects of the scheme. Two years after the date of application of this Regulation and every three years thereafter, the Commission should review the functioning and the effectiveness of this Regulation and the latest impact of the scheme on the ground as regards the promotion of responsible sourcing of the minerals within its scope from conflict-affected and high-risk areas and report to the European Parliament and to the Council . The reports may be accompanied, if necessary, by appropriate legislative proposals, which may include further mandatory measures.

(16a)

In their Joint Communication of 5 March 2014, the Commission and the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy committed to the implementation of accompanying measures leading to an integrated EU approach to responsible sourcing in parallel with this Regulation, with the aim not only of reaching a high level of participation by companies in the Union system provided for in this Regulation but also ensuring that a global, coherent and comprehensive approach is taken to promote responsible sourcing from conflict affected and high-risk areas.

(ba)

‘recycled metals’ means reclaimed end-user or post-consumer products, or scrap processed metals created during product manufacturing; ‘recycled metals’ includes excess, obsolete, defective, and scrap metal materials which contain refined or processed metals that are appropriate to recycle in the production of tin, tantalum, tungsten and/or gold; minerals partially processed, unprocessed or a bi-product from another ore are not recycled metals;

(e)

‘conflict-affected and high-risk areas’ means areas in a state of armed conflict, fragile post-conflict as well as areas witnessing weak or non-existent governance and security, such as failed states, and widespread and systematic violations of international law, including human rights abuses ;

(e)

‘conflict-affected and high-risk areas’ means areas in a state of armed conflict, with presence of widespread violence, collapse of civil infrastructure, fragile post-conflict areas as well as areas of weak or non-existent governance and security, such as failed states, characterised by widespread and systematic violations of human rights, as established under international law ;

(g)

‘importer’ means any natural or legal person declaring minerals or metals within the scope of this Regulation for release for free circulation within the meaning of Article 79 of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2913/1992  (13);

(g)

‘importer’ means any natural or legal person established in the Union making a declaration for the release for free circulation of minerals and metals within the scope of this Regulation in his own name or the person on whose behalf such declaration is made; a representative making the declaration while acting in the name of and on behalf of another person or a representative acting in his own name and on behalf of another person are equally considered to be importers for the purposes of this Regulation;

(h)

‘responsible importer’ means any importer who chooses to self-certify according to the rules set out in this Regulation;

(i)

‘self-certification’ means the act of declaring one's adherence to the obligations relating to management systems, risk management, third-party audits and disclosure as set out in this Regulation;

(qa)

‘industry scheme’ means a combination of voluntary supply chain due diligence procedures, tools and mechanisms, developed and overseen by relevant industry associations, including third-party conformity assessments;

(qb)

‘armed groups and security forces’ means groups referred to in Annex II of the OECD Due Diligence Guidance;

(a)

adopt and clearly communicate to suppliers and the public its supply chain policy for the minerals and metals potentially originating from conflict-affected and high-risk areas,

(a)

adopt and clearly and systematically communicate to suppliers and the public its supply chain policy for the minerals and metals potentially originating from conflict-affected and high-risk areas,

(a)

publicly disclose its determination; and

(b)

describe in reasonable detail the due diligence measures it exercised in making that determination.

(a)

support for responsibly sourcing enterprises in the form of incentives, technical assistance and guidance to enterprises, taking into account the situation of small and medium-sized enterprises and their position in the supply chain, in order to facilitate compliance with the requirements of this Regulation;

(b)

ongoing policy dialogues with third countries and other stakeholders, including the possibility of harmonization with national and regional certification systems and cooperation with public-private initiatives;

(c)

continued, targeted development cooperation with third countries, in particular aid for the marketing of non-conflict minerals and placing local enterprises in a better position to comply with this Regulation;

(d)

close cooperation with Member States for the launching of complementary initiatives in the area of consumer, investor and customer information and further incentives for responsible business conduct and performance clauses in procurement contracts signed by the national authorities under the terms of Directive 2014/24/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council  (1a) .