Pressemeldungen - Unternehmensverantwortung & Lieferkettengesetz © Initiative Lieferkettengesetz 06 February 2024 German abstention on EU supply chain law: indictment of democracy and human rights protection Press release of the Initiative Supply Chain Act, in which FEMNET is involved. Berlin. The German government will not agree to the compromise on the EU supply chain law negotiated in Brussels under pressure from the FDP and major business associations. This was announced today by Labor Minister Hubertus Heil (SPD) to the Reuters news agency. The Supply Chain Act initiative condemns this withdrawal at the last minute. It damages Germany's reputation as a reliable political and economic partner in the EU and shows the low priority of human rights as well as climate and environmental protection for the German government. Michelle Trimborn, spokesperson for the Supply Chain Law Initiative, comments: "Germany's rejection of the EU Supply Chain Act is an indictment of democracy and the protection of human rights. All those involved lose out as a result of this unspeakable behavior: the federal government, the German economy and, above all, those affected in supply chains worldwide. Germany is discrediting itself as a political partner in the EU by torpedoing a project that has been negotiated for years at the last minute. Many companies that have been preparing for the law for a long time are offended because the federal government does not recognize the economic possibility and necessity of approval. And to those people who work for our products and our prosperity in global supply chains under often exploitative conditions, the German government is sending a clear signal: German politicians do not care about their rights. Due to Chancellor Olaf Scholz's (SPD) lack of a word of authority against sabotage by the FDP, he is effectively leaving the decision on the protection of human rights and the environment to the right-wing extremist government in Italy. The ministers of the SPD and the Greens have also apparently not seriously advocated for the chancellor to put his foot down. In doing so, they have made it clear that coalition peace is more important to them than human rights and environmental protection. We are now pinning our hopes on the other member states of the EU. The EU Supply Chain Act must also come into force despite German rejection. The Directive can strengthen not only human rights, environmental and climate protection, but also the European economy. Other EU members can now prove that they are acting with foresight, innovation and fairness. The lack of backbone of the federal government should not influence them." Context: The German government was significantly involved in the negotiations on the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive. After approval by Parliament, Council and Commission, the trilogue, the final negotiation on the text of the law, was successfully concluded in December 2023, and further approvals are considered formalities in the EU. In January 2024, the FDP made a U-turn with a call to refuse to approve the law. The research of the Initiative Supply Chain Act on the FDP U-turn Even today, large companies, including ALDI Süd, Mars, Kik and Tchibo, published an urgent Appeal to the German government, not to abstain, as this would be detrimental to the economy and could create legal uncertainty. Press contact Initiative Lieferkettengesetz: 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.
