Minister of Business Gylfi Magnússon told reporters that he believes it sensible to institute a ban on importing products made from child labor.
The matter has gained more attention in Iceland in wake of a local coverage of a program on Danish television station DR 2, which investigated the use of child labor in Cote d’Ivoire for the production of cacao. The raw cacao is then exported, finding its way to larger companies abroad, among them Nestle.
Icelandic media then turned its attention to local chocolatiers Nói Síríus. Finnur Geirsson told Icelandic television station Stöð 2 that his company is responsible for all raw material that they import, and that the subject of child labor is troubling to him, as the practice is intolerable.
Minister of Business Gylfi Magnússon said that while he hasn’t looked into the matter in connection with the Danish television program, he believes is sensible to ban the importing of products made from child labor. He added that the next step will be to look at existing laws to see how such a ban could be implemented.