The Conflict Minerals (Compliance) (Northern Ireland) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020
These Regulations enforce in respect of Northern Ireland Regulation (EU) No 2017/821 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 May 2017 laying down supply chain due diligence obligations for Union importers of tin, tantalum and tungsten, their ores, and gold originating from conflict-affected and high risk areas (OJ No. L 130, 19.5.2017) (“the EU Regulation”). Article 5(4) of the Northern Ireland Protocol to the Withdrawal Agreement between the United Kingdom and the European Union (“the Northern Ireland Protocol”) provides that the EU regulations contained in Annex 2 to the Northern Ireland Protocol will apply to and in the UK, in respect of Northern Ireland. The EU Regulation is included in Annex 2. The EU Regulation aims to ensure that importers carry out supply chain due diligence to limit the acquisition of tin, tantalum and tungsten, their ores, and gold originating from conflict-affected and high risk areas. It imposes obligations on importers: in respect of their supply chain management systems; to identify risks of adverse impacts in their mineral supply chains and develop and implement strategies to respond to those risks; to carry out third-party audits of their activities, processes and systems used to implement supply chain due diligence regarding minerals or metals; and disclose to competent authorities the results of those audits.