Yesterday evening, the EU member states agreed on a joint negotiating position on the alleged "simplification" of the EU Supply Chain Directive. In it, the Council calls for weakening measures that go far beyond the Commission's proposals in the so-called Omnibus I package. In addition, the deadline for national implementation is to be postponed by a further year to 26 July 2028. The German government had previously prevented the Council from demanding that the civil liability rule be retained. Armin Paasch, human rights expert at Misereor, explains:

"The EU Council's position is a serious setback for the environment, climate and human rights in global supply chains. The Supply Chain Directive would not be simplified, but completely undermined. In Germany, it would only oblige 276 companies to respect the environment and human rights, whereas the German Supply Chain Duty of Care Act currently covers around 5,500 companies.

It is shameful that the German government wants to deprive seamstresses, indigenous people and miners of the chance to receive compensation when European companies violate their human rights. In the negotiations, France, Spain, Portugal and other governments had previously argued in favour of retaining the civil liability rule. However, the German government, together with Hungary and Romania, insisted on its cancellation. In his speech yesterday at the Day of German Industry, Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz declared his support for the 'liability principle'.

It is to be hoped that the European Parliament will defend the level of protection of the Supply Chain Directive vis-à-vis the Commission and the Council. In addition to the liability rule, it is crucial that due diligence obligations are not limited to a few companies and their direct suppliers. Companies must also continue to be obliged to implement climate plans instead of just drawing them up."