The European Council, which comprises heads of state or government of the bloc’s 28 member countries, revealed that it has agreed on a common mandate, one that “reinforces” the role of the European Commission, a.k.a. the EU’s executive arm, in investigating the use of forced labor and “aligns” the proposed measures with international standards and European legislation.

“It is appalling that in the 21st century, slavery and forced labor still exist in the world,” said Pierre-Yves Dermagne, deputy prime minister and minister for the economy and employment of Belgium, which will hold the European Council’s presidency until the end of June. “This hideous crime must be eradicated and the first step to achieve this [consists of] breaking the business model of companies that exploit workers.”