While public U.S. companies were preparing to meet their first conflict minerals reporting deadline, their European counterparts were taking their first steps toward implementing a conflict minerals law.

On March 5, 2014, the European Commission proposed a draft regulation to stop the sale and import of minerals used to fund armed conflicts. European Union importers of tin, tantalum, tungsten, and gold (3TG) will now be required to voluntarily self-certify that they have exercised due diligence on the trade of 3TG in line with the guidelines of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

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