IPC Supports EU Council Formal Approval of Voluntary Conflict Minerals Requirements for Manufacturers

Statement from John Mitchell, IPC President and CEO

On April 3, 2017, the European Union (EU) Council voted to adopt a regulation regarding the sourcing of conflict minerals in high risk zones. Approval by the EU Council is the end of the formal legislative process and the regulation, which was approved by the European Parliament in March, will take effect in 2021.

The regulation requires supply chain due diligence self-certification of tin, tantalum and tungsten, their ores, and gold originating in conflict-affected and high-risk areas, is mandatory for smelters and importers of raw materials and voluntary for downstream manufacturers whose products contain these minerals.

IPC looks forward to contributing to the work of the European Commission on the various guidelines and other supportive documents for companies covered by the regulation. IPC will continue advocating for conflict minerals regulation that avoids actions that unduly burden industry or cause unnecessary disruptions of the minerals trade.

IPC (www.IPC.org) is a global industry association based in Bannockburn, Ill., dedicated to the competitive excellence and financial success of its 4,000 member companies which represent all facets of the electronics industry, including design, printed board manufacturing, electronics assembly and test. As a member-driven organization and leading source for industry standards, training, market research and public policy advocacy, IPC supports programs to meet the needs of an estimated $2 trillion global electronics industry. IPC maintains additional offices in Taos, N.M.; Washington, D.C.; Atlanta, Ga.; Brussels, Belgium; Stockholm, Sweden; Moscow, Russia; Bangalore and New Delhi, India; Bangkok, Thailand; and Qingdao, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Suzhou and Beijing, China.