Omnibus Proposal Will Create Costly Confusion and Lower Protection for People and the Planet

EU Omnibus Joint Statement_2025-01-14

January 14, 2025

On 8 November 2024, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced she would introduce a proposal to amend three key pillars of the European Green Deal through an Omnibus law: the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), and the Taxonomy Regulation.

As members of civil society, human rights and environmental defenders, trade unions and climate activists, we call on the European Commission to actively protect these EU corporate accountability laws, reaffirm the official timeline for their transposition and implementation, and be fully transparent about the Omnibus process.

The European Union must show leadership in the protection of human rights, environment and climate, and prevent further setbacks to corporate accountability. The ongoing backlash against the EU’s sustainability framework comes at a time when business accountability is critically needed. Whilst some of the world’s biggest companies distributed record dividends in 2023, their investments fall far short of what is needed to transition to sustainable and resilient business models. Around the world, European companies, through their complex supply chains, continue to impact on a range of human rights and fundamental freedoms including labour rights, freedom from forced labour and the right to a clean, healthy and safe environment.

Yet despite clear calls from Climate Commissioner Hoekstra and Executive Vice-President Ribera to protect the legacy of the European Green Deal – and a commitment from Justice Commissioner McGrath “to ensure a timely and effective implementation” of the CSDDD during his confirmation hearing – President Ursula von der Leyen runs the risk of undermining key protections by forcing a re-opening of the files with the Omnibus law. This is generating tremendous uncertainty for countries that have already started their transposition process, and it will reward companies who failed to prepare to comply with these legislations.

A race to the bottom in value chain standards will risk increasing pressure on European manufacturing. It will also lead to more exploitation of people and environmental harm across countries. Businesses should be held accountable for their responsibility to respect human rights across their operations and supply chains.

Several countries outside the EU have already introduced or are in the process of introducing mandatory human rights due diligence laws, or have more specific legislation related to modern slavery or child labor issues. These include: The United Kingdom, Switzerland, Norway, Australia, South Korea, Mexico, Brazil, Japan and Canada.

The European Union is founded on the values of democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights. Those principles are enshrined in the Treaty on EU and the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. The EU should not undo the progress that has already been achieved with the European Green Deal, but encourage a race to the top and protect human rights, the environment and climate; all while providing stakeholders with a level playing field through clear expectations, legal certainty and timely and comprehensive guidelines on implementation.

Let us not forget the assessment made by the previous Commission under Ursula von der Leyen’s presidency: the EU’s competitiveness lies in its ability to provide a stable regulatory environment under the European Green Deal, focused on sustainability and the green transition – all of which are increasingly demanded by global consumers.

We therefore urge European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to:

  • Uphold EU corporate accountability legislation including the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), and the Taxonomy Regulation.
  • Adhere to the current timeline for the transposition and implementation of these essential laws, and provide timely and clear guidelines for compliance.
  • As a matter of urgency, clarify the Commission’s intentions and be fully transparent about the rationale, scope, timeline, legislative process, impact assessment as well as the consultation period related to the proposed omnibus.

Signatory organisations (in alphabetical order):

  1. 11.11.11
  2. Acción Ecologica
  3. Accountability Counsel
  4. achACT
  5. ACT Alliance EU
  6. ActionAid France
  7. ActionAid Guatemala
  8. ActionAid International
  9. ACV Puls
  10. ACV-CSC Belgian Confederation of Christian Trade Unions
  11. Alianza de Organizaciones por los Derechos Humanos del Ecuador
  12. Alliance for sustainable regional development (SRD4BG)
  13. Amnesty International
  14. AnsvarligFremtid, Denmark
  15. Anti-Slavery International
  16. Anukatham Unorgansied workers union
  17. Arisa
  18. Associació internacional d’Enginyeria Sense Fronteres
  19. Asociación por la Paz y los Derechos Humanos Taula per Mèxic
  20. Asociación Pro Derechos Humanos de España
  21. Association of Ethical Shareholders Germany
  22. Avocats Sans Frontières
  23. BankTrack
  24. BLOOM
  25. Both ENDS
  26. Broederlijk Delen
  27. Bulgarian Foundation for Business and Human Rights
  28. Business & Human Rights Resource Centre
  29. Business and Human Rights Association
  30. Campagna Abiti Puliti
  31. Campagna Impresa 2030
  32. Campaña Ropa Limpia – Setem
  33. Caritas Europa
  34. Centre for the Politics of Emancipation
  35. Centro de Documentación en Derechos Humanos “Segundo Montes Mozo S.J.” (CSMM)
  36. CGSLB – ACLVB (Liberal Trade Union – Belgium)
  37. CIDSE
  38. Clean Clothes Campaign
  39. ClientEarth
  40. Climate Action Network Europe
  41. CliMates
  42. CNCD – 11.11.11
  43. Collectif Ethique sur l’Etiquette
  44. Commerce Equitable France
  45. Compassion in World Farming
  46. Conectando Derechos
  47. CorA-Netzwerk für Unternehmensverantwortung
  48. Corporate Accountability Lab
  49. Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO)
  50. Corporate Justice Coalition
  51. Deutsche Umwelthilfe (Environmental Action Germany)
  52. Diakonia
  53. DKA Austria
  54. ECONOMY FOR THE COMMON GOOD
  55. Eetti (Pro Ethical Trade Finland)
  56. Ekumenická akademie (Ecumenical Academy)
  57. Entraide & Fraternité
  58. Entrepueblos/Entrepobles/Entrepobos/Herriarte
  59. Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF)
  60. EU LAT Network
  61. European Coalition for Corporate Justice
  62. European Environmental Bureau (EEB)
  63. European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC)
  64. FAIR
  65. Fair Finance International
  66. Fair Trade Advocacy Office
  67. Fairtrade International
  68. FEBEA – European Federation of Ethical and Alternative Banks and Financiers
  69. FEMNET e.V.
  70. FGTB-ABVV
  71. FIAN Belgium
  72. FIDH – International Federation for Human Rights
  73. Finnwatch
  74. Focus Association for Sustainable Development
  75. Fondation Partage Luxembourg
  76. Forum Fairer Handel
  77. FOUR PAWS International
  78. Frank Bold
  79. Friends of the Earth Europe
  80. Friends of the Earth Ireland
  81. Fundación Libera Contra la Trata de Personas y la Esclavitud en Todas sus Formas
  82. Fundacja Kupuj Odpowiedzialnie
  83. GLOBAL 2000 – Friends of the Earth Austria
  84. Global Justice Group
  85. Global Witness
  86. Human Rights Watch
  87. Informationsstelle Peru
  88. Initiative Lieferkettengesetz
  89. Initiative pour un devoir de vigilance Luxembourg
  90. INKOTA-netzwerk
  91. Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy
  92. Institute for Health and Environment
  93. Instituto de Estudios Ecologistas del Tercer Mundo
  94. International Corporate Accountability Roundtable
  95. Investor Alliance for Human Rights
  96. Irish Coalition for Business and Human Rights
  97. Jamaa Resource Initiatives
  98. La Coordinadora de ONGD (Spain)
  99. La Strada International
  100. Les Amis de la Terre – Belgique asbl
  101. Les Amis de la Terre France
  102. Madre Brava
  103. Maquila Solidarity Network
  104. Max Havelaar France / Fairtrade
  105. Mighty Earth
  106. Milieudefensie – Friends of the Earth Netherlands
  107. Mouvement écologique (Luxembourg)
  108. Movimento Consumatori APS
  109. NaZemi
  110. NeSoVe
  111. No Business With Genocide
  112. Notre Affaire à Tous
  113. Novi sindikat, Croatia
  114. OECD Watch
  115. Open Gate-La Strada
  116. Orion Grid for Leadership and Authority
  117. Oxfam
  118. Oyu Tolgoi Watch
  119. Peace Brigades International
  120. PIC – Legal Center for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment
  121. PICUM
  122. Plataforma Chilena de la Sociedad Civil en Derechos Humanos y Empresas
  123. Plataforma por Empresas Responsables
  124. Polish Institute for Human Rights and Business
  125. PowerShift
  126. Rainforest Alliance
  127. Reclaim Finance
  128. Red europea de Comités Oscar Romero (SICSAL_Euroopa)
  129. Reds
  130. Resource Matters
  131. Responsible Sourcing Network
  132. Rivers without Boundaries Mongolia
  133. Romero Initiative (CIR)
  134. Schone Kleren Campagne (Clean Clothes Campaign Netherlands)
  135. Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund
  136. Secretaría Medio Ambiente Y Transición Justa CUT Chile
  137. ShareAction
  138. Sherpa
  139. Social Awareness and Voluntary Education
  140. SOLIDAR
  141. Solidaridad
  142. SOLIFONDS, Switzerland
  143. Solsoc
  144. SOMO
  145. SÜDWIND e.V., Germany
  146. Südwind, Austria
  147. Swedish Society for Nature Conservation
  148. Swedwatch
  149. The Circle
  150. The European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU)
  151. The Human Trafficking Legal Center
  152. Trade Union Solidarity Centre of Finland SASK
  153. Transport & Environment
  154. Trócaire
  155. Turkmen.news
  156. Uganda Consortium on Corporate Accountability
  157. Umanotera
  158. UNI Global Union
  159. UTGLAWU,Uganda
  160. Uyghur Human Rights Project
  161. Uyghur Rights Advocacy Project
  162. Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation
  163. Vredesactie
  164. Water Witness International
  165. We Effect
  166. Werkstatt Ökonomie
  167. WeWorld
  168. Worker Rights Consortium
  169. World Benchmarking Alliance
  170. WWF EU