European gold, tantalum..., tungsten and tin imports from conflict zones will be subjected to tougher surveillance procedures under a new regulation adopted by the European parliament...But the regulation still has a long road to travel. The bill's slim majority in the European parliament pushed MEPs to opt for quick negotiations with the other institutions (the council and commission) before making their formal decision during the first reading. This is a very unusual procedure...The path travelled by the conflict minerals bill has already been a rocky one, beset by pressure from big business lobbies. The French business group Medef contacted MEPs before this week's plenary session to warn them of the potentially costly consequences of a binding system that covers the whole supply chain.