🧵 Dệt may 👞 Da giày 💻 Điện tử 🐟 Thủy sản 🪑 Đồ gỗ1. The EU Forced Labour Regulation (EUFLR)
Regulation (EU) 2024/3015, commonly known as the EU Forced Labour Regulation (EUFLR), entered into force on 13 December 2024 and will formally apply from 14 December 2027. It prohibits placing, making available on, or exporting from the EU market any product made in whole or in part with forced labour, regardless of whether the product is manufactured inside or outside the EU.
Under Article 11 of the Regulation, the European Commission is required to issue implementation guidance. On 30 June 2026, the Commission officially launched the Forced Labour Single Portal, bringing together all guidance documents, support tools and related information to help stakeholders prepare during the 18-month period before the Regulation takes effect.
Key milestones
13/12/2024
14/12/2025
30/6/2026
14/12/2027
18-month preparation window
Between now and 14 December 2027, the European Commission will continue adding information to the Portal and coordinating with member states, businesses and civil society organisations. Businesses should use this time to review their supply chains rather than waiting until closer to the deadline.
2. What does the Single Portal offer?
| Tools | Content |
| Implementation guidance | Explains how the Regulation applies in practice for businesses, competent authorities and other stakeholders, developed in consultation with experts and stakeholders. |
| Dedicated SME support | Materials and tools designed specifically to reduce the compliance burden for small and medium-sized enterprises. |
| Supply chain risk-identification tool | Links to a public database on forced labour risk by geographic region and product category. |
| List of national competent authorities (provisional) | Helps businesses and partners identify the responsible authority in each EU member state. |
3. How does the investigation and enforcement process work?
EUFLR follows a risk-based approach, focusing on high-risk sectors, products and regions. The process has three steps:
Preliminary assessment.
The competent authority evaluates the likelihood of a violation based on information from stakeholders, reports, risk indicators and other sources. If there are grounds for suspicion, the business concerned may be asked to provide information about the product.
Formal investigation.
If the suspicion is substantiated, the authority opens an investigation, notifies the business of its scope and grounds, and allows the business to submit further documentation. In some cases, on-site inspections may be carried out.
Decision and enforcement.
If the product is found to have been made with forced labour, the authority will ban it from the EU market, order its withdrawal and destruction, and notify the relevant customs authorities to ensure enforcement.
4. Why should Vietnamese businesses pay attention?
EUFLR applies to all products, without being limited to specific sectors — but the European Commission has held dedicated sector workshops for solar energy, textiles, agri-food, automotive and seafood, signalling that these are viewed as higher-risk sectors. Many of these are among Vietnam’s key export sectors to the EU.
- The Regulation does not create a separate due diligence obligation beyond existing obligations under EU or national law — but in practice, businesses need to review their supply chains carefully to avoid the risk of products being banned regardless of where fault lies.
- If a Vietnamese business exports directly to the EU, its products could be investigated based on information from reports, civil society organisations, or the Commission’s public risk database.
- If a business is a supplier to an EU-importing partner, that partner may request information, records, or evidence of labour conditions across the supply chain to reduce its own risk.
5. Action items
- Review internal labour policies against forced labour indicators as defined by the ILO (threats, withholding of identity documents, debt bondage, etc.).
- Map the supply chain, particularly subcontractors and seasonal labour suppliers, where forced labour risk tends to be higher.
- Consult the Forced Labour Single Portal and its guidance materials to understand how EU authorities assess risk.
- Prepare documentation and evidence of labour conditions (contracts, payroll records, recruitment records) so they can be provided quickly if requested.
- Proactively discuss with EU-importing partners what information they may need during the 18-month preparation period before the Regulation takes effect.
RBV – Update July 2026.