EU: Council ministers call on the Commission to adopt a regulation on human rights related corporate due diligence obligations

In the conclusions of its 01 December meeting devoted to decent work, the Council of European Labor Ministers gave their respective Member State’s support to initiatives announced by the EU Commission to strengthen human rights protection along European corporate supply chains. Indeed, EU Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders is working on a draft directive aimed at creating a human rights due diligence obligation on companies, which is expected for spring 2021 (c.f. article No.11914). In particular, the Council is calling for regulations to promote sustainable corporate governance, which would include this human rights due diligence obligation across corporate global supply chains. More broadly, the Council is calling for an action plan at European level in 2021 that is consistent with the application of the UN Guidelines on Business and Human Rights, the ILO Tripartite Declaration of Principles concerning Multinational Enterprises (MNE Declaration), and the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises. The Council also stresses the need for national legislation on these subjects and for social partner discussion at both European and national level in order to coordinate effort.