The Forced Labour Regulation prohibits products made with forced labour from being placed on, made available on, or exported from the EU market from 14 December 2027. It applies to all products, regardless of their origin, and to all companies placing products on the EU market or exporting them from the EU. Companies are responsible for ensuring that their products are free from forced labour. The regulation does not introduce any audit or reporting obligations.
The Commission has developed guidelines explaining how the regulation will work in practice. Based on extensive consultation, the guidelines set out how the rules will be enforced and clarify the roles and responsibilities of businesses, national authorities, customs authorities, and individuals who report concerns. Relevant sections are linked throughout this page.
What is forced labour?
Forced labour is defined by the International Labour Organization (ILO) as “all work or service which is exacted from any person under the threat of a penalty and for which the person has not offered himself or herself voluntarily”.
It refers to situations in which people are compelled to work against their will, for example through violence, intimidation, debt manipulation, retention of identity documents, or threats of denunciation to immigration authorities.
What is the scope of the Regulation?
The ban covers:
- All products, whether imported into or produced in the EU, excluding services
- All geographic areas, while recognising that some areas may present a higher risk of forced labour
- All companies placing products on the EU market or exporting them from the EU, including manufacturers, importers, distributors, retailers and online sellers
Guidelines on the scope of the FLR
How does the Regulation work?
The Commission investigates cases involving forced labour outside the EU. National authorities investigate cases within their territories and enforce bans on their market.
Guidelines on coordination between authorities across the EU
Authorities focus on the highest-risk cases, prioritising high-risk products and geographic areas.
Browse by step:
Initial assessment
Authorities gather information on potential violations that are reported and decide which cases to prioritise.
Preliminary investigation
If there is reason for concern, authorities may request additional information from the companies involved. If concerns remain, a formal investigation is opened.
Investigation
Companies are informed of the reasons for the investigation and its scope. They can submit documents or other information in response. In some cases, on-site inspections may take place.
Decision and review
If forced labour is confirmed, the product is banned from the EU market and must be withdrawn and disposed of. Companies can request a review of the decision.
Enforcement
Customs authorities enforce ban decisions at the EU’s external borders. National authorities ensure that products entering or leaving the EU market comply with these decisions. EU countries set penalties for non-compliance.
How does due diligence relate to the Regulation?
The Forced Labour Regulation does not require companies to carry out sustainability due diligence. Due diligence is a process through which a company identifies, prevents, mitigates and addresses potential adverse impacts of its activities on human rights and the environment across its operations and supply chains.
Unlike the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CS3D), the Forced Labour Regulation does not set procedural requirements on how companies should address such impacts. Companies decide how best to ensure that forced labour is not present in their products.
The two frameworks are nonetheless complementary. Due diligence processes under the CS3D may provide useful information during investigations into whether products are free from forced labour.
Guidelines for companies on voluntary due diligence on forced labour
Governance
Union Network against Forced Labour Products (UNFLP)
A coordination platform bringing together national authorities and the Commission to ensure consistent application of the Forced Labour Regulation across the EU.
See the agenda and minutes of meetings:
Minutes from the meeting of 22 January 2026
Minutes from the meeting of 13 November 2025
Expert Group on Forced Labour
A group of experts from business, civil society organisations, academia and international organisations, appointed by the Commission to advise on guidelines, support tools and good practices.
See the agendas, minutes and member list of the Expert Group on Forced Labour (E04010) in the Register of Commission expert groups and other similar entities.
Have your say
We consult stakeholders as we develop the tools and guidance under the Forced Labour Regulation. Past consultations are listed below. New consultations will be published here as they become available.
Guidelines on the implementation of the EU rules on forced labour (closed)
The Commission received 160 contributions to this call for evidence. The guidelines explain how the regulation will work in practice.
View contributions
Information and Communication System for Market Surveillance – details and functionalities of the forced labour module (closed)
Consultation on information sharing between the Commission and national authorities for investigations and enforcement. The corresponding implementing act has been adopted.
View contributions