"Companies must protect human rights and environment within their value chains", 4 March 2021

The draft legislative initiative on ‘Corporate due diligence and corporate accountability’, prepared by the Legal Affairs Committee, calls on the Commission to urgently present a law that ensures companies are held accountable and liable when they harm - or contribute to harming - human rights, the environment and good governance. The new rules should better protect the rights of victims, guarantee access to legal remedies and apply to all companies that want to access the EU internal market, including those established in third countries.

The debate will take place on Monday, and the vote on Wednesday.

Background

A Commission study published in February 2020 found that only one in three companies in the EU is currently taking due diligence measures, while around 70% of European businesses surveyed support EU-wide due diligence rules. During an exchange of views with the Committee on Legal Affairs, Justice Commissioner Reynders vowed that the upcoming legislative proposal from the European Commission, expected in the first half of the year, will be an integral part of the European Green Deal and the European Recovery Plan.