Import bans emerge as tool against forced labour, ILO finds

Import bans on goods produced with forced labour can help counter the illegal practice, particularly when combined with broader labour and social policies, according to new research from the International Labour Organization.

In a new research brief titled The Potential of Import Bans to Address Forced Labour, the ILO examines whether trade restrictions can reduce labour rights abuses embedded in global supply chains. The analysis comes as forced labour remains a major global challenge, with rising numbers of victims and growing illegal profits.

Several economies have moved to restrict the import of goods linked to forced labour, including the United States, Canada, Mexico and the European Union. These measures are designed to block access to key markets for goods produced under coercive conditions.

Drawing on two case studies, the ILO brief finds that import bans can, in certain circumstances, trigger remedial action by companies and generate momentum for change. In some cases, company-level social dialogue contributed to resolving the labour rights violations that led to the ban, suggesting that trade measures can open space for corrective engagement rather than simply punitive outcomes.

However, the ILO cautions that import bans on their own are unlikely to address the deeper structural factors that drive forced labour. These include weak labour regulation, limited enforcement capacity, poverty, and the absence of effective worker representation. Without complementary measures, the brief warns, bans risk shifting abuses elsewhere rather than eliminating them.

The analysis underscores the importance of accompanying policies such as stronger labour inspection systems, meaningful social dialogue, and sustained engagement with local stakeholders. It also calls for further research to better understand how import bans affect workers and enterprises across different economic and social contexts.

For Africa, where many economies remain deeply integrated into global supply chains while still building robust labour governance systems, the findings carry particular weight. Trade measures can create leverage for reform, but lasting progress against forced labour will depend on investment in institutions, enforcement, and worker voice. As young African economies navigate the pressures of global markets, the challenge is to ensure that trade becomes a pathway to decent work, not a channel through which exploitation is simply displaced.