Pressemeldungen - Unternehmensverantwortung & Lieferkettengesetz

Protestaktion der Initiative Lieferkettengesetz in Berlin.

© Laila Sieber

Because of the German government: Setback for European human rights project – Majority of the population in favour of EU supply chain law according to survey

Press release of the Initiative Supply Chain Act, in which FEMNET is involved.

Major setback for the EU Supply Chain Act: The Committee of Permanent Representatives of the Council (COREPER) today failed to reach a qualified majority in favour of the human rights project. The Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union has announced that it will now enter into negotiations again with the member states and the EU Parliament. Meanwhile, there is great support for the EU Supply Chain Act among the German population: More than two-thirds of people in Germany want the law, as a new representative survey shows.

"Today is a bad day for the protection of human rights and our planet. The Chancellor has so far refused to put his foot down – and is being downright paraded by the FDP on one of the EU's most important human rights and environmental projects," comments Johanna Kusch, spokeswoman for the Supply Chain Law Initiative. "With the FDP's unilateral action, the federal government has completely discredited itself as a reliable partner in the EU and damaged Germany's international credibility on the subject of human rights. Olaf Scholz is not only disregarding the coalition agreement and ignoring countless voices from business, science and the United Nations, but is also clearly acting against the will of the majority of his own population. He must use the further negotiations to finally position himself for the EU supply chain law."

Today's majority for the current compromise failed mainly because of Germany's announcement that it would abstain: As the most populous state, it is difficult to push through an EU legislative project without German approval. Federal Justice Minister Marco Buschmann and Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner had also massively stirred up opposition to the project in other member states in recent weeks.

Contrary to the announced abstention of the German government, there is a great deal of support for the EU project among the German population. This is shown by a representative survey published today: 68 percent of respondents in Germany said they supported the EU Supply Chain Act. It is striking that the support includes all voter groups: 67 percent of FDP voters also support the European Supply Chain Act.

The representative survey was conducted by the opinion research institute INSA-CONSULERE on behalf of Germanwatch, a supporting organization of the Supply Chain Law Initiative, in February 2024. 1,003 people were surveyed. The Supply Chain Law Initiative is an alliance of more than 140 human rights and environmental organizations, trade unions, church actors and other civil society organizations that are working together for the EU Supply Chain Act.

Further informations:

Press contact:

Michelle Trimborn,
Sprecherin Initiative Lieferkettengesetz,
Tel. 01577 57 23 737
E-Mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

The Supply Chain Act initiative is supported by:
Amnesty International Germany, Association of One World Country Networks in Germany e.V. (agl), Bread for the World, Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland e.V. (BUND), Romero Initiative e.V. (CIR), CorA Network for Corporate Responsibility, German Trade Union Confederation (DGB), European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR), FEMNET e.V., Forum Fairer Handel e.V., Germanwatch e.V.,  Greenpeace e.V., INKOTA-netzwerk e.V., Misereor e.V., Oxfam Germany e.V., SÜDWIND e.V., ver.di - United Services Union, WEED - World Economy, Ecology & Development e.V., Weltladen-Dachverband e.V., Werkstatt Ökonomie e.V.  A further 115 organisations support the Supply Chain Act initiative.