The Council must move ahead with new rules to improve transparency and accountability in Europe’s supply chains, European socialist ministers agreed today.
PES Ministers welcomed the efforts of the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the EU to resolve the impasse on the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, as they met to coordinate before the informal EU Competitiveness Council (COMPET) on Thursday.
The Directive, which was provisionally agreed by the Parliament and Council in December during the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the EU, is at risk of being blocked following intensive lobbying by corporate interest groups.
Meeting Chair Slovenian State Secretary in the Ministry of Economy, Tourism and Sport, Matevž Frangež, said:
“As socialists and social democrats, we believe the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive is an essential piece of legislation to make European companies accountable for environmental and social conditions throughout their supply chains. Europe should be accountable for the impacts of our consumption habits.
“Blocking this Directive would prevent us from levelling the playing field for the majority of EU firms that play by the rules, at home and abroad. Companies should have nothing to hide by reporting on the impact of their activities.”
The resolution adopted by the PES Congress in November in Málaga urged the EU to lead by example by adopting an ambitious Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive and Forced Labour Regulation, to make European companies accountable for the social, human rights and environmental conditions throughout their value chains.
Ministers also discussed the negotiations on the Forced Labour Regulation. The meeting also held a discussion on the role of strategic public procurement and open strategic autonomy in shaping the future of the internal market.
The meeting was attended by:
- Matevž Frangež, Chair, State Secretary in the Ministry of Economy, Tourism and Sport, Slovenia
- Lilian Tschan, State Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, Germany
- Jordi Llinares Sanjuan, Director General of Industrial Programmes, Spain
- Lucian Rus, Secretary of State for Economy, Romania
- Biljana Borzan, MEP, S&D Vice President for a new economy that works for all, S&D Group
- Yonnec Polet, PES Deputy Secretary General
