Please contact Hannah Laming, Francesco Liberatore and Francesca Puttock with any questions.
Forced labour and modern slavery have been the subject of renewed focus across the UK and EU in recent months. While not changing the fundamental reporting requirements under the UK Modern Slavery Act, new guidance from the UK Home Office in March 2025 offers practical advice to businesses and sets higher expectations on organisations for the contents of their modern slavery statements. In the EU, the Forced Labour Regulation (or FLR) entered into force on 13 December 2024 and will apply to EU member states from 14 December 2027. It prohibits individuals and businesses from importing into, making available in, or exporting from the EU any product made with forced labour. Details have also emerged of a settled investigation by the Italian Competition Authority highlighting the ways that issues relating to modern slavery can be subject to regulatory intervention.