Binding regulations are key to guaranteeing decent working conditions and to ensure environmental and climate protection: they can make companies responsible and hold them accountable for the harm they are causing along their supply chains! A strong EU Regulation would harmonise laws across EU Member States and create a level playing field for all actors, in which the protection of human rights and the environment is mandatory. Creating a supply chain where the existing problems can’t even arise in the first place. Especially vulnerable groups who are in a poor position to stand up for their own rights need special protection. These include migrant workers, especially women and children, but also small landowners. They suffer disproportionately from the exploitative business practices of companies...

To hold businesses accountable we demand a strong mandatory human rights due diligence legislation. Because of the magnitude of human and labour rights violations, environmental destruction as well as land grabbing and forced displacement along their supply chains, agri-food companies should be classified as high-risk enterprises. We must spare no effort to ensure living wages and incomes, securing freedom of association and collective bargaining, comprehensive health and safety practices, secured legal status as well as protection against gender-based discrimination – especially for migrant workers, women and small holders. The process to draft this European regulation started in April 2020. In March 2021, the European Parliament adopted a report supporting ambitious and strong due diligence standards. It is now up to Commissioners Didier Reynders (Justice) and Thierry Breton (Internal Market) to draft a proposal for a Directive. The voice of Vice President of the European Commission for Values and Transparency, Věra Jourová, will also carry extraordinary weight here.

Now it’s up to us: Write to Commissioners Reynders and Breton, and to Vice President Jourová. Tell them that we must protect human rights and the environment NOW with strong due diligence legislation! NO MORE DELAYS!