Policy note on the implementation of the European Union’s regulation on the supply of 3TG minerals

Starting next year, the regulation on the responsible procurement of tin, tungsten, tantalum and gold (3TG) from conflict regions in the EU will come into force. Most EU states are thus drafting the corresponding implementing legislation. However, the first drafts, including Germany, have caused criticism from European development and human rights organizations, including Germanwatch.

In that regard, national legislation could seriously jeopardize the effectiveness of European efforts. The present statement signed by human rights organizations from all over Europe, denounce the lack of transparency regarding future law application, as names of the companies subject to the European regulation will not be published.

This will make it almost impossible for civil society organizations, such as Germanwatch, to assess the effectiveness of the regulation once in force. Concerns about non-compliance are high among human rights organizations, as the fines envisaged are very low. In addition, authorities need sufficient capacities and resources to ensure a precise monitoring of the subjected companies.