The Commissioner, speaking in Paris, highlighted recently-agreed EU legislation which would ensure EU importers of gold, tungsten, tin and tantalum have to take care that their materials do not finance conflict, or use slave labour — a move which would in particular benefit the Great Lakes mining region of Central Africa, where a decades-long conflict has cost millions of lives. "I hope EU leadership on this issue will be echoed around the world", she told attendees at a Forum organised by the OECD, outlining the EU's agenda to encourage global partners to follow suit and promote sustainable trade.