How does the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme work?
The World Diamond Council has worked with the United Nations, government bodies, commercial interests and civil society to introduce a workable system for the certification of the source of uncut diamonds. This system, known as the Kimberley Process, was formally adopted in November 2002 and came into operation on 1 January 2003. The European Union regulations enforcing the Kimberley Process came fully into force on 13 February 2003. It operates on two fronts: – i. Rough stones. Every parcel will be numbered, tamper-free and accompanied by a certificate with the country of origin and other details. ii. Polished stones and jewellery. At the World Diamond Congress in London in October, the World Federation of Diamond Bourses and the International Diamond Manufacturers Association agreed to instruct its members to give assurances that all diamonds sold by them (rough, cut and in finished goods) are conflict free. We wrote to our diamond suppliers in 2003 requiring an undertaking that we r
