Omnibus proposal will create costly confusion and lower protection for people and the planet

On 8 November 2024, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced she would introduce a proposal to amend three key pillars of the European Green Deal through an Omnibus law: the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), and the Taxonomy Regulation.

As members of civil society, human rights and environmental defenders, trade unions and climate activists, we call on the European Commission to actively protect these EU corporate accountability laws, reaffirm the official timeline for their transposition and implementation, and be fully transparent about the Omnibus process.

The European Union must show leadership in the protection of human rights, environment and climate, and prevent further setbacks to corporate accountability. The ongoing backlash against the EU’s sustainability framework comes at a time when business accountability is critically needed. Whilst some of the world’s biggest companies distributed record dividends in 2023, their investments fall far short of what is needed to transition to sustainable and resilient business models. Around the world, European companies, through their complex supply chains, continue to impact on a range of human rights and fundamental freedoms including labour rights, freedom from forced labour and the right to a clean, healthy and safe environment.

Yet despite clear calls from Climate Commissioner Hoekstra and Executive Vice-President Ribera to protect the legacy of the European Green Deal – and a commitment from Justice Commissioner McGrath “to ensure a timely and effective implementation” of the CSDDD during his confirmation hearing – President Ursula von der Leyen runs the risk of undermining key protections by forcing a re-opening of the files with the Omnibus law. This is generating tremendous uncertainty for countries that have already started their transposition process, and it will reward companies who failed to prepare to comply with these legislations.

A race to the bottom in value chain standards will risk increasing pressure on European manufacturing. It will also lead to more exploitation of people and environmental harm across countries. Businesses should be held accountable for their responsibility to respect human rights across their operations and supply chains.

Several countries outside the EU have already introduced or are in the process of introducing mandatory human rights due diligence laws, or have more specific legislation related to modern slavery or child labor issues. These include: The United Kingdom, Switzerland, Norway, Australia, South Korea, Mexico, Brazil, Japan and Canada.

The European Union is founded on the values of democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights. Those principles are enshrined in the Treaty on EU and the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. The EU should not undo the progress that has already been achieved with the European Green Deal, but encourage a race to the top and protect human rights, the environment and climate; all while providing stakeholders with a level playing field through clear expectations, legal certainty and timely and comprehensive guidelines on implementation.

Let us not forget the assessment made by the previous Commission under Ursula von der Leyen’s presidency: the EU’s competitiveness lies in its ability to provide a stable regulatory environment under the European Green Deal, focused on sustainability and the green transition – all of which are increasingly demanded by global consumers.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to:

  • Uphold EU corporate accountability legislation including the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), and the Taxonomy Regulation.
  • Adhere to the current timeline for the transposition and implementation of these essential laws, and provide timely and clear guidelines for compliance.
  • As a matter of urgency, clarify the Commission’s intentions and be fully transparent about the rationale, scope, timeline, legislative process, impact assessment as well as the consultation period related to the proposed omnibus.


Download statement as PDF

Signatories:

  1. 11.11.11
  2. Acción Ecologica
  3. Accountability Counsel
  4. achACT
  5. ACT Alliance EU
  6. ActionAid France
  7. ActionAid Guatemala
  8. ActionAid International
  9. ACV Puls
  10. Alianza de Organizaciones por los Derechos Humanos del Ecuador
  11. Alliance for sustainable regional development (SRD4BG)
  12. Amnesty International
  13. AnsvarligFremtid, Denmark
  14. Anti-Slavery International
  15. Anukatham Unorgansied workers union
  16. Arisa
  17. Associació internacional d’Enginyeria Sense Fronteres
  18. Asociación por la Paz y los Derechos Humanos Taula per Mèxic
  19. Asociación Pro Derechos Humanos de España
  20. Association of Ethical Shareholders Germany
  21. Avocats Sans Frontières
  22. BankTrack
  23. BLOOM
  24. Both ENDS
  25. Broederlijk Delen
  26. Bulgarian Foundation for Business and Human Rights
  27. Business & Human Rights Resource Centre
  28. Business and Human Rights Association
  29. Campagna Abiti Puliti
  30. Campagna Impresa 2030
  31. Campaña Ropa Limpia – Setem
  32. Caritas Europa
  33. Centre for the Politics of Emancipation
  34. Centro de Documentación en Derechos Humanos “Segundo Montes Mozo S.J.” (CSMM)
  35. CGSLB (Liberal Trade Union – Belgium)
  36. CIDSE
  37. Clean Clothes Campaign
  38. ClientEarth
  39. Climate Action Network Europe
  40. CliMates
  41. CNCD – 11.11.11
  42. Collectif Ethique sur l’Etiquette
  43. Commerce Equitable France
  44. Compassion in World Farming
  45. Conectando Derechos
  46. CorA-Netzwerk für Unternehmensverantwortung
  47. Corporate Accountability Lab
  48. Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO)
  49. Corporate Justice Coalition
  50. Deutsche Umwelthilfe (Environmental Action Germany)
  51. Diakonia
  52. DKA Austria
  53. ECONOMY FOR THE COMMON GOOD
  54. Eetti (Pro Ethical Trade Finland)
  55. Ekumenická akademie (Ecumenical Academy)
  56. Entraide & Fraternité
  57. Entrepueblos/Entrepobles/Entrepobos/Herriarte
  58. Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF)
  59. EU LAT Network
  60. European Coalition for Corporate Justice
  61. European Environmental Bureau (EEB)
  62. European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC)
  63. FAIR
  64. Fair Finance International
  65. Fair Trade Advocacy Office
  66. Fairtrade International
  67. FEBEA – European Federation of Ethical and Alternative Banks and Financiers
  68. FEMNET e.V.
  69. FGTB-ABVV
  70. FIAN Belgium
  71. FIDH – International Federation for Human Rights
  72. Finnwatch
  73. Focus Association for Sustainable Development
  74. Fondation Partage Luxembourg
  75. Forum Fairer Handel
  76. FOUR PAWS International
  77. Frank Bold
  78. Friends of the Earth Europe
  79. Friends of the Earth Ireland
  80. Fundación Libera Contra la Trata de Personas y la Esclavitud en Todas sus Formas
  81. Fundacja Kupuj Odpowiedzialnie
  82. GLOBAL 2000 – Friends of the Earth Austria
  83. Global Justice Group
  84. Global Witness
  85. Human Rights Watch
  86. Informationsstelle Peru
  87. Initiative Lieferkettengesetz
  88. Initiative pour un devoir de vigilance Luxembourg
  89. INKOTA-netzwerk
  90. Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy
  91. Institute for Health and Environment
  92. Instituto de Estudios Ecologistas del Tercer Mundo
  93. International Corporate Accountability Roundtable
  94. Investor Alliance for Human Rights
  95. Irish Coalition for Business and Human Rights
  96. Jamaa Resource Initiatives
  97. La Coordinadora de ONGD (Spain)
  98. La Strada International
  99. Les Amis de la Terre – Belgique asbl
  100. Les Amis de la Terre France
  101. Madre Brava
  102. Maquila Solidarity Network
  103. Max Havelaar France / Fairtrade
  104. Mighty Earth
  105. Milieudefensie – Friends of the Earth Netherlands
  106. Mouvement écologique (Luxembourg)
  107. Movimento Consumatori APS
  108. NaZemi
  109. NeSoVe
  110. No Business With Genocide
  111. Notre Affaire à Tous
  112. Novi sindikat, Croatia
  113. OECD Watch
  114. Open Gate-La Strada
  115. Orion Grid for Leadership and Authority
  116. Oxfam
  117. Oyu Tolgoi Watch
  118. Peace Brigades International
  119. PIC – Legal Center for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment
  120. PICUM
  121. Plataforma Chilena de la Sociedad Civil en Derechos Humanos y Empresas
  122. Plataforma por Empresas Responsables
  123. Polish Institute for Human Rights and Business
  124. PowerShift
  125. Rainforest Alliance
  126. Reclaim Finance
  127. Red europea de Comités Oscar Romero (SICSAL_Euroopa)
  128. Reds
  129. Resource Matters
  130. Responsible Sourcing Network
  131. Rivers without Boundaries Mongolia
  132. Romero Initiative (CIR)
  133. Schone Kleren Campagne (Clean Clothes Campaign Netherlands)
  134. Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund
  135. Secretaría Medio Ambiente Y Transición Justa CUT Chile
  136. ShareAction
  137. Sherpa
  138. Social Awareness and Voluntary Education
  139. SOLIDAR
  140. Solidaridad
  141. SOLIFONDS, Switzerland
  142. Solsoc
  143. SOMO
  144. SÜDWIND e.V., Germany
  145. Südwind, Austria
  146. Swedish Society for Nature Conservation
  147. Swedwatch
  148. The Circle
  149. The European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU)
  150. The Human Trafficking Legal Center
  151. Trade Union Solidarity Centre of Finland SASK
  152. Transport & Environment
  153. Trócaire
  154. Turkmen.news
  155. Uganda Consortium on Corporate Accountability
  156. Umanotera
  157. UNI Global Union
  158. UTGLAWU,Uganda
  159. Uyghur Human Rights Project
  160. Uyghur Rights Advocacy Project
  161. Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation
  162. Vredesactie
  163. Water Witness International
  164. We Effect
  165. Werkstatt Ökonomie
  166. WeWorld
  167. Worker Rights Consortium
  168. World Benchmarking Alliance
  169. WSM
  170. ZERO

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