New MEPs must tackle conflict minerals

Jun 4, 2014 | Gavin Hayman
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Europe’s nearly half a billion consumers are driving a rising global demand for minerals such as tungsten, tantalum, and gold.

These minerals, used in many consumer products such as phones and cars, are fought over by violent armed groups in resource-rich parts of Africa and Latin America, exacting a huge cost on development and human rights. Yet there is currently no law in place to make European companies source responsibly, or prevent them from contributing to this deadly trade