There could be new developments in the EU-Switzerland bilateral negotiations. And Austria throws spanners into the wheels of Mercosur. Below, an overview of what’s happened in the background on trade policy in the EU this week. That comes on top of the launch of FTA talks with Thailand and new …
Supply chain due diligence & forced labour
Week in Brussels: Business on due diligence, EU reopens Cambodia rice case
While everyone was away in Davos this week, business tried to seize the momentum on the coming EU sustainability corporate due diligence regulation and the European Commission acted to avoid having to repay Cambodian exporters duties paid as part a safeguard that was slapped down by the ECJ. By Rob …
Blog: That “tangible” TTC outcome
A bit of sarcasm can’t do any harm, right?
Sustainability supply chain due diligence: member states agree joint position
EU member states today agreed on their common position on the European Commission’s legislative proposal on corporate sustainability due diligence which will oblige companies operating in Europe to undertake human rights, labour and environmental due diligence across their supply chains. This comes at the price of giving room for the …
Corporate sustainability due diligence: European Parliament seeks to cast wider net
The European Parliament rapporteur on the EU’s new corporate sustainability due diligence legislation seeks to greatly expand the list of companies falling into its scope. She also wants to broaden the list of environmental obligations for which companies would be liable.
EU forced labour ban : not tough enough for some, overreach risk for others
Non-governmental organisation and academia want the EU’s proposed ban on products made with forced labour to be toughened up, but employers from developing countries are urging caution, saying that products made “fairly” could end up as collateral damage.
EU corporate sustainability due diligence: parliament in quest for common position
This European Parliament’s committees this week held exchanges of views on the European Commission’s proposal on corporate sustainability due diligence. The file is proving divisive across committees and political groups.
Germany spells out ‘ambitious’ position on corporate due diligence
Germany wants an “ambitious approach” to the European Commission’s proposed directive on corporate sustainability due diligence, according to Carsten Stender, a director-general within the German ministry of labour and social affairs.
EU to take time with forced labour ban enactment
The European Commission released its long-awaited legislative proposal aiming at weeding out products from the EU’s market made with forced labour. The EU executive puts the onus on national authorities to monitor imports as well as products that have originated within the EU for signs of forced labour in their …
Corporate sustainability due diligence parliamentary fight begins
The European Parliament’s legal affairs committee has started examining the EU’s regulatory proposal on corporate sustainability due diligence. Rapporteur Lara Wolters from the centre-left S&D group wants a rethink. Many fellow Members of the European Parliament concur. A record number of committees are getting involved in the legislative process, casting …