The new Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz calls on the EU institutions to abolish the European supply chain directive.
“We will abolish the national law in Germany. I also expect the European Union to understand this step and really cancel this directive,” said the CDU politician at a joint press conference with EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
He welcomes that the EU Commission wanted to systematically reduce bureaucracy. This will support the German federal government. “We will also make suggestions on how we can go further beyond,” said Merz. In addition to a shift in legal provisions, the complete cancellation of some European rules is the next logical step.
Large companies should be accounted for
The European supply chain law was only decided last year. The aim is to strengthen human rights worldwide. Large companies should be able to be held accountable if they benefit from human rights violations such as child or forced labor. Initial regulations in the guideline are to be applied in 2028.
There is great criticism from the economy of the project. Companies see exaggerated requirements that imposed large bureaucratic loads on them and reduced the competitiveness of Europe.
Grüner sees contradiction to the coalition agreement
The deputy party leader and European spokesman for the Greens, Sven Giegold, sees Merz’s demand for a contradiction to the coalition agreement. “His commanded to Ursula von der Leyen is disturbing,” said Giegold. The SPD and Union’s coalition agreement on page 60 states that the German supply chain law should be replaced by a law on international corporate responsibility “which implements the European supply chain directive (CSDDD) low in bureaucracy and in accordance with enforcement”.