International organisation Human Rights Watch
criticises Germany’s Free Democratic Party (FDP)’s refusal to support the new
Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD).
The
FDP’s decision not to support the new laws could now cause the
German government to abstain from voting in favour of its introduction, which
Human Rights Watch says could cause other countries to reconsider or withdraw
their support.
Last December, the EU Parliament and council
negotiators informally agreed on new legislation for corporate sustainability due diligence
that will apply to all big companies as well as smaller companies deemed to be
in high-risk sectors, such as the textile and apparel sector.
Once formally approved, the legislation will
require companies to mitigate their negative impact on human rights and the
environment, including child labour, slavery, labour exploitation, pollution,
deforestation, excessive water consumption or damage to ecosystems.
The agreed draft law still requires formal
approval by the Legal Affairs Committee and the European Parliament as a whole,
as well as by the Council (EU governments) before it can become enforced.
Writing in the EU
Observer, Human Rights Watch’s associate director, children’s
rights division, Juliane Kippenberg said: “A German abstention during the vote
on the EU supply chains law would send a terrible political message from the
country that just adopted its own supply chain law. And it would jeopardise
Germany’s credibility—after all, German political leaders, including from the
FDP, have previously agreed that the EU supply chain law should be adopted,
have actively engaged in negotiations, and shaped the most recent draft.”
Kippenberg argued that, while the proposed
law has gaps, it will still hold companies to account and will put pressure on
organisations to respect human rights.
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She added: “Business and human rights should
not be seen as a contradiction. In our modern, globalised world, rules on
supply chain due diligence are an important tool to ensure that companies do
not cause or contribute to abuses, in line with the UN Guiding Principles on
Business and Human Rights. Germany should support the EU supply chains law.”
Human Rights Watch has called on Germany’s
Chancellor Olaf Scholz to support the law, despite the FDP’s objections, as the
country’s larger coalition parties have expressed their support for the
legislation.
