Request EU countries: Implementation of the supply chain law is postponed!

Request EU countries: Implementation of the supply chain law is postponed!

Vienna, Österreich - On March 26, 2025, the EU countries spoke out for a shift in the EU Lief chain law. This proposal for shift comes from the EU Commission and provides to extend the implementation periods by one year, so that the new rules should not come into force until 2028. This decision still requires the approval of the EU Parliament, which is expected to discuss it in the coming week. The supply chain law, which was decided last year, aims to strengthen human rights worldwide and to hold companies for any human rights violations.

The demand for a shift is encouraged in parts of the economy. Economic Minister Wolfgang Hattmannsdorfer (ÖVP) has welcomed the plans to the shift and emphasizes that such a decision could enable more economic freedom and offers the opportunity to improve the laws. However, critics from the economy fear that the existing requirements will be exaggerated and that bureaucratic hurdles could build up that affect the competitiveness of Europe.

different positions for the implementation of the law

Amnesty International welcomed the approval of the Council of the European Union to the EU Lief chain Act, but Germany has been in the vote. This abstention was criticized by Amnesty; The organization accused the Federal Government that it would violate its own coalition agreement in which it had undertaken to support an EU law in accordance with the UN guiding principles for economic and human rights responsibility.

Julia Duchrow, the general secretary of Amnesty International in Germany, expressed that despite the changes, the law could have positive effects on human rights in corporate activities worldwide. However, she emphasized that Germany's abstention and weakening in the legal text endanger the credibility of a value -led foreign policy.

background to the human rights situation

worldwide people often consume products such as fruit, chocolate and coffee under inhumane working conditions. Around 1.4 billion employees work globally in precarious conditions; 28 million people are affected by forced labor and slavery. In recent years, the Covid 19 pandemic has even tightened the situation for working children. There are currently around 160 million working children, half of whom is under 12 years old.

In this context, the EU, as the largest internal market, underlines its responsibility to act against such grievances. Germany, France and the Netherlands have passed national duties of care laws, while the EU has already regulated sub -areas, for example in the area of ​​conflict minerals and the wood market. The guideline for sustainable corporate management, which was published on July 5, 2024 in the EU's Official Journal, is an important measure to anchor human rights and environmental responsibility in corporate structures.

The guideline obliges companies with more than 1,000 employees and sales of over 450 million euros to determine risks in their value chains and to take suitable prevention and remedial measures. Fine can be up to 5% of the net annual turnover, which underlines the seriousness of the regulations. The creation of a climate plans, which is in line with the target of 1.5 ° C, is also part of the new requirements.

With the upcoming discussion about the shift of the supply chain law, it again becomes clear that the balancing act between corporate interests and the protection of human rights in the EU continues to be a challenge.