EU: Omnibus proposal rewards corporate interests instead of protecting people & planet, CSOs argue
"“Not without us” – EU’s Omnibus proposal rewards corporate interests instead of protecting people & planet," 6 February 2025
Today, EU officials are meeting with corporate lobbyists to discuss rolling back sustainability laws—but those most affected by corporate abuse are locked out, bringing back the feeling of the David vs Goliath fight. On the same morning of the consultation, civil society groups are demonstrating outside the European Commission to oppose the Omnibus package and demand the protection of EU sustainability laws, as well as transparent, evidence-based policymaking. The common message: EU should serve people and the planet, not corporate interests.... Regrettably, this Omnibus proposal is pure backtracking and prioritising short-term profit over long-term sustainability and accountability....
[T]he EU is actively ignoring its own commitments to transparency and stakeholder engagement – defined in the EU Commission’s own Better Regulation guidelines.
More precisely, in today’s invite-only consultation organised by the European Commission, big banks, oil giants, and corporate lobby groups are heavily outweighing NGOs...
The CSDDD should not be seen as a burden SMEs—it can actually help protect them. The directive is clear: large companies must cover verification costs and cannot push compliance expenses onto smaller suppliers. It also tackles unfair contract terms, like last-minute orders and impossible deadlines, that put economic pressure on SMEs. The real threat to small businesses isn’t regulation—it’s corporate exploitation...
Despite the announcement of the EU’s new competitiveness compass, it seems like we are still not going in the right direction. Deregulation will unequivocally set us off course. We call on the European Commission to actively protect EU corporate accountability laws including the CSDDD and to reaffirm the official timeline for their transposition and implementation at the national level.