"Advice note to companies, member states, and the European Commission: Implementation of the EU regulation laying down supply chain due diligence obligations for Union importers of tin, tantalum, and tungsten, their ores, and gold originating from conflict-affected and high-risk areas," March 2018

The EU Regulation on due diligence in mineral supply chains (Regulation)... aims to disrupt links between conflict, human rights abuses, and the global minerals trade, by requiring companies bringing ores and metals of tin, tantalum, tungsten, and gold (3TG) into the EU—from anywhere in the world—to do so responsibly. The Regulation requires ‘Union importers’ to carry out ‘supply chain due diligence’ on their 3TG supply chains... to address a range of... risks linked to the extraction, trade, transport, and export of minerals... [including] risks of adverse impacts linked to tolerating, profiting from or contributing to serious human rights abuses (like torture, forced labour, the worst forms of child labour and widespread sexual violence), [and]... crimes against humanity or genocide; [and] supporting (directly or indirectly) non-state armed groups.

... The European Commission (Commission) and EU Member States are also encouraging companies further down mineral supply chains to do the same, in line with the OECD standard... otherwise, they face the possibility of mandatory rules in the future... This note provides practical guidance and recommendations to support companies, Member States, and the Commission to fulfil their obligations under the Regulation and linked commitments...