Isabelle Schömann (ETUC): “We continue to mobilise on due diligence”

As the end of the European term of office approaches, several countries, including Germany and France, are blocking the adoption of the corporate sustainability due diligence directive. Speaking to mind RH, Isabelle Schömann, deputy general secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation, deplores this state of affairs, while announcing that mobilisation on the topic will continue. In her opinion, the failure of the process would be all the more regrettable as it would mark the disconnection of certain states and employer organisations, while the need to regulate is supported by many companies.

By Antoine Piel. Published on 06 March 2024 à 16h29 - Update on 06 March 2024 à 17h38

How do you react to the attitude of certain states that caused the failure to reach a qualified majority?

There were last-minute requests from certain member states, more or less related to the subject itself, to reduce the text, deprive it of certain elements and increase the thresholds. These positions create more confusion than resolution. Some governments are clearly unwilling to compromise, because where there is political will, there is a way. The text is a compromise based on a mandate from many citizens in Europe, including the ETUC, which represents 45 million workers and provided one of the 150,000 responses sent to the Commission for its citizens’ consultation. The Parliament and the Council have worked on the basis of this mandate and must adopt a legislative text. Failure to do so is unacceptable from a democratic point of view, given that the member states have had ample time to put forward their points of view. But we are mobilising to reverse the trend.…

Antoine Piel

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