OGBL President Nora Back criticizes Omnibus package of the EU Commission

« We have always been told that we should wait for a European guideline. Then we got one, and now it will be watered down by the Omnibus package, » said OGBL President Nora Back on the occasion of a press conference on Tuesday, the « Initiative Pour un Devoir de Vigilance » on the Omnibus package of the EU Commission.

At the press conference, representatives of civil society presented their sensitization campaign « Luxembourg, Gardons Le Cap! » before. The campaign addresses the threat of human rights, the environment and the climate by the European Commission’s bus package.

Omnibus package watered down supply chain law

The Omnibus package was presented on February 26 by EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The package should simplify EU procedures. Among other things, the Omnibus package is to replace the EU Lief Coveret Act, also called « Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive » (CSDDD).

« With the Omnibus package, we go in the wrong direction at full throttle, » said Jean-Louis Zeien, co-coordinator of the « Initiative Pour un Devoir de Vigilance ». The representatives of the sensitization campaign are of the opinion that the deregulation intended in the bus package benefits primarily to the large multinational companies.

The CSDDD should be accountable for multinational companies for human rights violations in their supply chains. The Omnibus package, according to the « Initiative Pour un Devoir de Vigilance », would water the Lief chain law and no longer protect human rights in the supply chain.

Under the CSDDD, the entire supply chain of a group was to be examined for human rights violations and the specific risks of all supplier companies were to be identified. Under the Omnibus package, according to Jean-Louis, only the direct business partners are examined for human rights violations.

Luxembourg has not yet set a position

The “Initiative Pour Un Devoir de Vigilance” also criticizes the attitude of the Luxembourg government. So far, this should be for simplification, but against deregulation of the Lief chain law.

In Luxembourg, 76 companies are said to be affected by the supply chain law.