Netherlands: 40 companies express support for EU's sustainability and due diligence rules & call out against Omnibus proposal
MVO Nederland
"Dutch business statement on the European Union Omnibus proposal," 12 Februrary 2025 [...] We, the 40 undersigned companies, would like to stress that we are ready to implement the CSRD, CSDDD and Taxonomy effectively. We are writing to you to express our support for the European Union’s sustainability and due diligence rules. The entry into force of these laws is an essential step to make responsible business conduct the norm.
Reopening or postponing these crucial pieces of legislation would negatively affect us for the following reasons:
- We want a level playing field between sustainable and non-sustainable companies. Uniform standards for responsible business conduct are important for creating this level playing field as they prevent a ‘race to the bottom’. More specifically, weakening the CSDDD would mean maintaining the current uneven international playing field for sustainable businesses, while a weakening of the Taxonomy would reduce room for sustainable investment practices.
- We need clarity and legal certainty regarding RBC standards so we can prevent and address negative impacts more effectively.
- We have made investments to do business in a sustainable, responsibe and fair manner. It is important that these investments pay off.
- We believe that future earning power of companies and promising innovations come from doing business in a fair and sustainable manner.
- We experience that strong RBC-rules lead to competitive advantages for companies conducting due diligence.
We call upon the Commission to not reopen and renegotiate already agreed and adopted legal texts. While we support efforts to avoid imposing unnecessary complexity on companies, for example by enhancing coherence between definitions in the CSRD, CSDDD and Taxonomy, we urge you to leave the scope, level of ambition and principles of these laws intact. It is important to note that the CSDDD does not create any duplicate reporting requirements. We strongly request that you follow the established timeline for the transposition and implementation of these crucial laws, and ensure the timely provision of clear guidelines for compliance. Only then will we be able to ensure a sustainable and resilient economy in which European companies are able to thrive.