The Brazilian government is concerned by reports suggesting that members of the United States congress intend to investigate allegations that part of the vegetable charcoal from the Amazon region, used in the production of pig iron (the principal component of steel), is produced using forced labour.

In partnership with the private sector and civil society, the Brazilian government has been making great efforts to achieve the complete eradication of forced labour.

The International Labour Organization (ILO) has recently praised Brazil’s efforts. In its report Forced Labour in Brazil in the 21st Century, released in September, the ILO concluded that almost 80% of the targets established in the Brazilian government’s National Plan for the Eradication of Forced Labour in Brazil, launched in 2003, had been achieved by early 2005.

Significant private sector initiatives include the National Pact for the Eradication of Forced Labour, established in 2005. Iron and steel companies that are signatories to the document have committed themselves to not using vegetable charcoal produced by forced labour.

An institute (Instituto Carvão Cidadão) has also been established in order to monitor producers of charcoal in northern Brazil and to eliminate forced labour from the production of pig iron. In the last two years, 945 charcoal suppliers have been subjected to inspections, and all those who failed to comply with current labour legislation, or to adopt the institute’s recommendations, have been removed from the list of accredited producers.

Brazil is one of the few countries in the world that recognizes the problem of forced labour and is making clear efforts to combat it. The open way in which the Brazilian government is addressing the issue deserves international recognition, rather than being used as a pretext for the imposition of any kind of commercial restriction or penalty.

Source: Ministry of External Relations and Embassy of Brazil in London