Cookie Consent by Free Privacy Policy website Fighting for the traceability of conflict minerals
dicembre 22, 2015 - SD European Group Parlament

Fighting for the traceability of conflict minerals

Comunicato Stampa disponibile solo in lingua originale. 

Most of our mobile phones, laptops, micro-waves and other electrical appliances, contain minerals extracted from conflict zones, fuelling human exploitation and violence. With the release of this awareness clip, the Socialists & Democrats in the European Parliament underline the importance of binding EU legislation for European companies involved in the sourcing of so called "conflict minerals".


S&D MEPs underline that mining can be a source of economic development, but without controls on where minerals come from and safety measures in place, it can be a dangerous activity, driving local people off their land, drawing innocent children into armed conflict and undermining development as a whole. For now, there is no obligatory system to trace the origin of these minerals.


The goal of the S&D Group is to ensure that regulating the use of conflict minerals is not some optional add on, but is mandatory. This means that we can be absolutely sure that the products we take for granted are not produced at the expense of the most vulnerable and fuel violence in a distant part of the world. It is also a safeguard to ensure the competitiveness of EU businesses. The EU should see that businesses as well as national and local authorities commit themselves to ending human rights abuses emanating from armed groups.