Source: Amnesty International –
Reacting to the European Parliament vote on the EU’s sustainability regulations package (Omnibus I) which rolls back hard-won climate and human rights protections, Eve Geddie Director of Amnesty International’s European Institutions Office said:
“In a rush to close the deal in Strasbourg just days before the winter break, MEPs voted through a sweeping deregulation package which undermines vital climate and human rights safeguards, betraying people and the planet at a time when protections are needed most.
“By limiting the due diligence law to only the very largest corporations, the EU is effectively excluding most companies from meaningful accountability, leaving workers, communities and ecosystems without protection and sending a worrying signal that corporate interests are being placed above human rights.
“This rollback is part of a bonfire of regulations and is the result of intense lobbying efforts by powerful industry actors and external pressure including from the United States. Ignoring widespread criticism from civil society, economists, the UN and even the European Ombudsman, this rushed and opaque process also flies in the face of public opinion, which clearly shows the majority of Europeans favour human rights and environmental protection.
“Now, EU governments must strengthen key provisions when they incorporate these regulations in national law and use every available avenue to improve protections, ensure access to justice for victims, and urgently prevent further erosion of corporate accountability – especially since other deregulation packages are already in the pipeline. European states must not squander the opportunity to use these regulations to ensure businesses contribute to thriving communities – our future and the future of our planet rely on it.”
Background
The Omnibus I package reopens key European Green Deal legislation, including the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), the EU Taxonomy Regulation and the landmark Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), adopted only last year.
The CSDDD was the first mandatory due diligence law that would apply across the whole EU single market and legally require large companies to identify, prevent, and mitigate negative impact of their activities on human rights and the environment. Laws such as CSDDD, were designed to bring the EU closer to achieving its goal of becoming the first climate-neutral continent by 2050.
However, on 26 February 2025, the European Commission presented its Omnibus I proposal initiating a far-reaching rollback of these agreed safeguards. After today’s vote, the final Omnibus deal will also need to be approved by Council ministers in 2026.
Worryingly, Omnibus I is expected to be the first of several such packages, with further deregulation proposals already under discussion. Last month, Amnesty raised concerns over the proposed digital omnibus and its impact on accountability on digital rights.