EU Moving Ahead with Conflict Minerals Legislation

Manufacturers that don’t want to be caught off guard by a European Union (EU) conflict minerals regulation can learn about upcoming legislation directly from key government officials and hear what industry leaders are doing to prepare for compliance with EU and U.S. laws at IPC's Conflict Minerals: Complying with EU and US Laws conference, October 23, 2013, in Brussels. Signe Ratso, director of trade strategy and analysis and market access, DG Trade, European Commission, will provide attendees with insight into the EU regulations that the Commission will propose later this fall. In addition, David Engvall, partner at the leading U.S. law firm Covington and Burling will provide details on the U.S. Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and how it impacts companies in the EU. Panelists from Ericsson, Phillips, Rolls-Royce and TE Connectivity will discuss their companies’ strategies for complying with conflict minerals requirements. Other topics to be covered during the one-day conference include an overview on the history of conflict minerals and the current situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), as well as the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas document. Fern Abrams, IPC director of government relations and environmental programs, encourages executive...