Supply Chain Due Diligence

EU Council Adopts Revised GSP Regulation on Trade Preferences for Developing Countries

The Council of the EU has adopted a new Regulation on the EU’s Generalised Scheme of Preferences, tightening conditions and safeguards for tariff preferences granted to vulnerable developing countries, with application from 1 January 2027. This recast locks in the 2027–2036 GSP framework and more clearly links preferential access to performance on human rights, labour, environmental protection and migration cooperation, raising compliance and reputational stakes for EU importers and global suppliers.

25 May 2026, 15:46data.consilium.europa.euEuropean Union

Netherlands: Motion Urges Strict Implementation of EU Forced Labour Products Regulation to Address Uyghur Forced Labour

On 21 May 2026, a Dutch MP tabled a motion urging the government to implement the EU Forced Labour Products Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2024/3015) as strictly and targeted as possible, ahead of its application from December 2027, to combat state-led forced labour of Uyghurs in China. If reflected in implementation measures, this signals tougher Dutch enforcement of the forthcoming EU ban on products made with forced labour and higher expectations on companies’ supply chain due diligence and proof that goods are free from forced labour.

25 May 2026, 15:38zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nlNetherlandsEuropean Union

EU EESC Opinion On Commission Roadmap Towards Nature Credits

In February 2026, the European Economic and Social Committee adopted a non-binding opinion on the Commission’s Roadmap towards Nature Credits, setting out conditions for a high-integrity, science-based and voluntary EU framework. If followed, these recommendations could shape how future EU nature-credit markets are designed, interact with CAP, CRCF, CSRD and CSDDD, and define safeguards against greenwashing, speculation and social or environmental harms for companies and investors engaging in biodiversity finance.

25 May 2026, 15:35eur-lex.europa.euEuropean Union

US Senate Introduces S.4581 To Amend NDAA FY2026 On Chinese Military-Industrial Complex Sanctions

In May 2026, US Senate bill S.4581 was introduced to amend the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 so that certain foreign persons must be placed on the Non-SDN Chinese Military-Industrial Complex Companies List. If enacted, this would expand US sanctions listing obligations tied to Chinese military-industrial complex entities, increasing securities-trading and counterparty risk oversight for financial institutions and companies with China exposure.

24 May 2026, 21:05congress.govUnited States

US House China Committee Releases Investigation on US Banks Financing CATL and Zijin Gold

The US House Select Committee on China has released a detailed investigation accusing major US banks of helping Chinese firms linked to the military and forced labour raise billions through Hong Kong offerings despite US government designations. While no new law applies yet, the report urges bans on capital-raising for blacklisted entities and broader sanctions powers, signalling higher future risk for financial institutions and investors with exposure to CATL, Zijin and similar issuers.

24 May 2026, 20:38files.constantcontact.comUnited StatesChinaHong Kong SAR China

CJEU Confirms Freezing of Trust-Held Assets Under EU Russia Sanctions

On 21 May 2026, the Court of Justice of the European Union confirmed that freezing assets held through trust structures can be compatible with EU Russia sanctions where listed persons retain effective power or influence over those assets. This judgment materially tightens expectations for banks, trustees and other intermediaries on tracing beneficial ownership and control, raising enforcement risk for attempts to circumvent EU restrictive measures via complex legal structures.

23 May 2026, 09:10curia.europa.euEuropean Union

Norway Transparency Act (Åpenhetsloven) Requires Annual Due Diligence Statement by 30 June

Norwegian companies covered by the Transparency Act must publish a signed, web-accessible due diligence statement by 30 June each year, and sector associations are now reminding members ahead of the 2026 deadline. Compliance and ESG teams should ensure their 2025-period Transparency Act statement is finalised, board-approved, and online by 30 June 2026, given the absolute nature of the deadline and the risk of enforcement sanctions for non-compliance.

22 May 2026, 18:52forbrukertilsynet.noNorway

Ukraine Launches Due-Diligence Pilot for Agricultural Exports to Meet EU Deforestation Rules

Ukraine has adopted a cabinet resolution launching an experimental digital due-diligence system to trace agricultural exports to the EU back to non-deforested land in preparation for the EU’s deforestation-free products regulation. Exporters and supply chains trading into the EU will need geospatial proof of compliant land use, making this pilot an early signal to align farm-level data, IT systems, and documentation ahead of tighter market access checks.

22 May 2026, 18:51me.gov.uaUkraineEuropean Union

OECD Launches Responsible Business Conduct Report for a Just Transition

On 20 May 2026 the OECD is launching a new paper on how responsible business conduct can support a just transition by protecting workers, communities and consumers in the low-carbon transition. While non-binding, this guidance from a key international standard-setter signals evolving expectations to integrate social due diligence into climate transition plans and can inform companies’ just transition, human rights and supply-chain strategies.

22 May 2026, 16:50oecd.orgGlobal

Sweden (Västmanland County) Adopts Regional Electrification Action Plan

The County Administrative Board of Västmanland has adopted a government-commissioned regional action plan to coordinate electrification efforts, strengthen energy planning, and guide industrial and transport decarbonisation towards Sweden’s 2045 climate neutrality target. For companies and infrastructure planners in the region, this signals future focus areas for grid capacity, flexibility, funding priorities, and supply-chain due diligence expectations rather than introducing immediate new legal obligations.

22 May 2026, 09:46lansstyrelsen.seSweden

UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights Issues Visit Report on Serbia

In April 2026 the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights issued a critical report on Serbia’s handling of business-related human rights, highlighting serious gaps in enforcement, environmental protection and worker safeguards around major development and mining projects. The recommendations signal likely moves toward mandatory human rights due diligence, stronger oversight of mining and infrastructure projects, and tighter expectations on companies operating in or sourcing from Serbia to manage human-rights and governance risks.

22 May 2026, 09:45docs.un.orgSerbia

UK Updates Russia Sanctions Guidance To Reflect 2026 Regulation Amendments

The UK has updated its Russia sanctions statutory guidance to incorporate broad new trade, energy, nuclear and services restrictions introduced by the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) Regulations 2026, effective from 20 May 2026. These changes tighten controls on Russian-related uranium, LNG, processed oil products, specified ships and construction services, significantly raising compliance and enforcement risks for companies exposed to Russian-connected supply chains, shipping and advanced technology sectors and requiring rapid review of contracts, counterparties and licensing needs.

21 May 2026, 06:51gov.ukUnited Kingdom

California Assembly Advances AB 2599 on Slavery-Related Corporate Disclosures to Third Reading

In May 2026, the California Assembly advanced AB 2599, a bill that would require large companies doing business in the state to disclose historical involvement in slavery and link compliance with these disclosures to eligibility for significant state contracts. If enacted, this measure would create a public registry of slavery-related corporate records, introduce new affidavit and certification obligations for large multinationals operating in California, and materially raise human rights and supply chain transparency expectations in state-level procurement.

20 May 2026, 17:59leginfo.legislature.ca.govUnited States

UK Updates OTSI Sanctions Licensing for Construction and Ship-Related Services

In May 2026 the UK updated OTSI sanctions licensing guidance to add construction and certain ship-related services to the Russia sanctions services that may only be provided under an OTSI trade licence, following legislative changes effective 19 May 2026. UK exporters, construction firms and ship-service providers with a UK nexus must now treat these activities as sanction-controlled, building OTSI licence lead times and expanded screening into contract, supply chain and market-access decisions.

20 May 2026, 17:59gov.ukUnited Kingdom

UN Human Rights Council Special Rapporteur Issues Report on Health as an Enabler of Dignity

A new UN Human Rights Council Special Rapporteur report frames the right to health as an enabler of human dignity and calls on states to tackle social, legal, commercial and environmental determinants of health, including punitive laws and harmful marketing practices, alongside healthcare access. This non-binding but authoritative guidance sets out detailed expectations for dignity-centred, equity-focused approaches to public health, digital health data, corporate conduct and global supply chains that ESG and policy teams may need to reflect in future frameworks.

20 May 2026, 10:08documents.un.orgGlobal

UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights Issues Report on Agribusiness, Food Security and Human Rights

UN human rights experts have issued a thematic report to the Human Rights Council on how agribusiness and global food systems affect food security and the enjoyment of human rights. While non-binding, it underscores growing expectations that agribusiness, food companies and investors manage human-rights risks more systematically across agrifood supply chains worldwide.

20 May 2026, 10:02docs.un.orgGlobal

UN Working Group Issues Report On Agribusiness, Food Security And Human Rights

In May 2026, the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights released report A/HRC/62/36 on agribusiness, food security and human rights. The report signals growing expectations that agribusiness and food companies assess and address human-rights risks across their supply chains, which could influence future national due-diligence and sustainability regulations.

20 May 2026, 10:01docs.un.orgGlobal

EU Commission Opens Call For Evidence On European Critical Raw Materials Centre

From 19 May to 11 August 2026, the European Commission is consulting on a legislative initiative to create a European Critical Raw Materials Centre to coordinate joint purchasing, stockpiling, investment support and market intelligence for critical raw materials. The Centre could significantly reshape how EU manufacturers, defence and clean‑tech supply chains access rare earths and other critical inputs, so affected companies should follow this consultation closely to understand emerging tools, governance and potential future obligations.

20 May 2026, 08:09ec.europa.euEuropean Union

Win-Tech Comments on DoD Revolutionary FAR Overhaul Phase 2: CMMC, CUI and Specialty Metals

On 15 May 2026, US aerospace machine shop Win-Tech submitted a detailed comment letter to the Pentagon’s Revolutionary FAR Overhaul Phase 2 process, warning that current DFARS cybersecurity and specialty-metals rules are overburdening small defence manufacturers. If DoD does not recalibrate CMMC flowdown, CUI marking, and domestic metals and tooling requirements to real-world supply-chain capacity, many sub-tier shops may exit defence programmes, undermining readiness and complicating compliance for primes.

20 May 2026, 07:10media.licdn.comUnited States

EU Sets EUDR Application Dates For 2026/2027 And Luxembourg Webinar Supports Business Readiness

The EU deforestation-free products regulation (EUDR) has been amended so that most obligations now apply from late 2026 for large operators and mid 2027 for SMEs, with Luxembourg’s House of Sustainability using these new dates to frame a dedicated online webinar for affected businesses. Companies sourcing commodities such as cocoa, coffee, palm oil, rubber, wood or beef into the EU should treat this as an extended preparation window to map high risk supply chains, build due diligence and traceability systems, and align sustainability and procurement strategies ahead of the new compliance dates.

20 May 2026, 07:08eur-lex.europa.euEuropean UnionLuxembourg