In June 2024, the European Union adopted a significant law requiring large companies to respect human rights and the environment throughout their global value chains. This law, known as the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), was part of the European Green Deal, spearheaded by EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The directive aimed to shift companies from voluntary standards to legal accountability, with a goal of making the EU more sustainable and climate neutral by 2050.
However, a year later, von der Leyen has proposed changes that would significantly alter this directive. Under what she describes as “simplification,” her Omnibus proposal seeks to remove key elements of the CSDDD. These changes include eliminating company liability for harm, removing due diligence requirements across entire supply chains, and weakening enforcement of climate mitigation plans. Industry lobby groups have been influential in advocating for these revisions.
Despite these developments, on May 29, von der Leyen is set to receive the prestigious Karlspreis award in Aachen, Germany. The award partly recognizes “the impetus she has given to the Green Deal.” This comes at a time when she is dismantling one of its major achievements.
The rollback occurs amid ongoing concerns about serious human rights abuses in global supply chains, such as dangerous working conditions and child labor. Community leaders and various advocacy groups have long supported the original EU supply chain law.
A German civil society coalition plans to protest in Aachen during the award ceremony. They are urging von der Leyen to uphold the original law’s values and goals, which align with Europe’s vision for a greener and fairer future.
