Europe’s main center-left political group has expressed “urgent and ongoing concern” that an upcoming bill to simplify European Union sustainability rules will threaten the bloc’s environmental agenda.
In a letter obtained by POLITICO addressed to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the Socialists and Democrats (S&D) group outlines its red lines on the policy and reveals potential concessions ahead of the presentation of the omnibus package by the Commission next week.
Group chief Iratxe García asked von der Leyen to avoid scrapping key Green Deal legislation, ahead of a proposal they fear could gut the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and the EU taxonomy on sustainable investments.
The group completely rejects opening up the due diligence law, “as the directive has not yet been even implemented,” arguing that proposals being circulated such as removing enforcement and judicial provisions, as well as limiting requirements to direct suppliers would amount to “stripping” the directive from all its power.
