CIBJO President Gaetano Cavalieri (front left) with EC officials and members of the EC delegation.

(IDEX Online News) – A delegation of CIBJO members from European countries met with representatives of the European Commission in Brussels to discuss EU policy concerning precious mineral imports from conflict areas and the regulation of nickel used in jewelry production.

 

CIBJO's EU Committee was established in May at its annual congress, with the express purpose of liaising with the European Union about policies concerning the jewelry industry. It represents the interests of the jewelry sector from 12 European countries.

 

CIBJO members from France, the United Kingdom, Italy and Germany were joined in Brussels by CIBJO President Gaetano Cavalieri, who also chairs the EU Committee, and met on June 28 with a team from the EC.

 

The meeting took place against the backdrop of a new supply chain initiative by the European Commission aimed at responsible sourcing of minerals originating in conflict-affected and high-risk areas. The initiative builds on the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) due diligence guidance for responsible supply chains, which covers minerals such as tin, tungsten, tantalum and gold.

 

Members of the CIBJO EU Committee called on the EC to acknowledge and accept the various voluntary initiatives and ethical standards developed and led by the jewelry and precious metals sectors. The competitiveness of the European jewelry sector must be protected, they said, and this may not be possible if additional certification procedures are imposed without any expected benefit. Above all, it was stressed, the fight against the illegal financing of conflicts would never be successful without a diplomatic approach and a political solution.

 

The CIBJO members suggested that the EC consider the unintended consequences of the US Dodd Frank Act, which has resulted in many companies selecting to source gold outside of Africa's Great Lakes Region, in order to avoid having to deal with the stringent provenance requirements. The CIBJO members described this as a "de facto embargo," and they said that the primary victims have been legitimate gold producers and members of the local populations, who have seen employment and economic opportunities in the region tumble.

 

The CIBJO EU Committee also raised the subject of the European Union's REACH Regulations, which concern the registration, evaluation, authorization and restriction of chemicals. In particular, a revised legal standard for testing articles for compliance with nickel release limits, which became effective in the EU on March 31 and replaces an earlier standard from 1998.

 

Because it is applicable to articles intended to come into prolonged and direct contact with the skin, it applies to most articles of jewelry and watches. Ear-rings and other types of jewelry used in body piercings have even lower permitted release limits than articles worn against the skin.

 

The CIBJO delegation also discussed Corporate Social Responsibility and planned regulations concerning product safety and market surveillance with the EC officials.