Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent)
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570. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources in view of the concerns expressed last year by the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications with regard to EU Commission COM(2014)111, if he will outline the steps he has taken to date to restrict the purchase and importation into the European Union of blood minerals which are used to fund armed groups such as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41593/15]

Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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The draft regulation on setting up a Union system for supply chain due diligence self-certification of responsible importers of tin, tantalum and tungsten, their ores, and gold originating in conflict affected and high-risk areas (COM (2014) 111 final), published by the European Commission in March 2014, outlines a voluntary process through which importers of the listed minerals or their ores into the EU can self-certify that they do not contribute to financing armed conflict. Importers who opt in will have to conduct due diligence in accordance with the recognised Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) five step framework for risk based due diligence. The EU proposal is also global in scope, unlike the US Dodd Frank Act which focuses only on the African Great Lakes Region.

Ireland supports the objectives of the regulation, to break the link between minerals extraction and trading and financing of armed conflict and to create a market for responsibly traded minerals from conflict regions. Ireland is engaging fully in the discussions at the Council Working Party, where the Member States are working to secure an agreed position which best serves the objectives of the proposed regulation, prior to entering negotiations with the European Parliament.

Alongside the work on the draft regulation, my officials are also participating in a European Commission expert group in consultation with the European External Action Service and the OECD, to prepare a handbook for companies on non-binding guidelines, explaining how best to apply the criteria for the identification of conflict-affected and high-risk areas.