We, the undersigned Members of the European Parliament, civil society organisations, trade unions and independent experts, welcome the Commission’s ambitious Action Plan on Financing Sustainable Growth (Action Plan)...

We commend the Commission’s swift action in opening a call for applications(call) for the formation of a technical expert group on sustainable finance... 

Nonetheless, we regret that the mandate of the group, as described in the call, is insufficient in ensuring the ambitions of the Commission's Action Plan are met...

It is crucial that the Commission include human rights expertise in the technical expert group from the outset, and ensure that a human rights-based approach is adopted in the development and classification of all activities meant to contribute to climate mitigation and adaptation, as well as in the certification of projects and assets linked to green bonds...

The protection of human rights and the protection of the environment are interlinked and inseparable - this fact should be reflected in all policy instruments to be developed and deployed as part of the Action Plan...

The European Union should [...] ensure that the protection of human rights be a key component of all aspects of the proposed taxonomy.