Labor Department Seeks Information on Forced or Indentured Child Labor in C te d'Ivoire's Cocoa Industry
The Department of Labor's (DOL's) Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB) has issued a notice which states that as part of its monitoring effort, it is requesting current information about the nature and extent of forced/indentured child labor in the cocoa industry in Cte d'Ivoire as well as efforts made by that country's government to address the problem.
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This request for information is made pursuant to Executive Order 13126 ("Prohibition of Acquisition of Products Produced by Forced or Indentured Child Labor") and 48 CFR 22.15, which prohibit federal government procurement of products made by forced or indentured child labor and among other things, require that those contracting to supply certain listed end products to the Federal government certify that those end products are not made with forced or indentured child labor (see www.dol.gov/ilab for list of end products, identified by their country of origin).
Specifically, 48 CFR 22.15 states that before a federal contracting officer may make an award for procurement of a listed end product, and regardless of the end product's country of origin, the potential contractor must submit either a certification that a listed end product was not produced in a listed country, or, in the case of a listed end product that was produced in a listed country, a certification that a good faith effort was made to determine whether forced child labor was used and that the contractor is unaware of any such use. (See ITT's 02/22/01 news, 01022137, for BP summary of the final rule on 48 CFR 22.15.)
DOL to Determine Whether Cocoa from Cte d'Ivoire Should Be Added to End Product List
DOL states that in consultation and cooperation with the Departments of Homeland Security, Treasury, and State, the production of cocoa in Cte d'Ivoire will continue to be monitored in order to determine whether there is use of forced or indentured child labor in the industry and, accordingly, whether this country/product should be added to the list of products prohibited from acquisition under EO 13126.
(See ITT's Online Archives or 02/05/02 news, 02020520, for BP summary of an agreement to eliminate worst forms of child labor from cocoa/chocolate industry.)
-written comments are requested by June 9, 2004.
ILAB Contact - Christine Camillo (202) 693-4843
ILAB Notice (FR Pub 05/10/04) available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2004/pdf/E4-1047.pdf