The ETUC strongly rejects any attempt to use concerns about forced labour as a pretext for protectionist trade measures. Europe's trade unions have consistently been among the strongest advocates for eliminating forced labour worldwide, including through the EU's pioneering Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) and the Forced Labour Regulation. By contrast, the United States has actively opposed key elements of the CSDDD and has never ratified ILO Convention No. Europe's commitment to eliminating forced labour is beyond question, and it must never be misrepresented as a pretext for protectionist measures. The European Union now has the tools to respond to economic coercion, and it should be prepared to use them if European workers and industries are unfairly targeted."