Von der Leyen rejects German chancellor's proposal on abolishing the EU's supply chain directive
The European Commission firmly rejects German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's call to abolish the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), as reported by Rheinische Post.
According to Brussels' position, the aim is not to eliminate the regulation but to simplify it; the European Commission spokesperson made it clear that abolition is not on the table.
Merz urged the withdrawal of the directive during a joint press conference with Ursula von der Leyen last Friday, adding that the German national legislation would also be abolished.
Not only Brussels but also his coalition partner, the SPD, criticised the Chancellor's proposal.
René Repasi, leader of the SPD's European Parliament group, stated that there is no political majority for abolishing the directive either in the European Parliament or among member states. He said they are open to simplifications and reducing companies' administrative burdens, but the objectives - including combating forced labour, human rights violations, and environmental destruction - remain unchanged.
Repasi also reminded that according to the German government coalition agreement, the German supply chain law will be replaced by an international corporate responsibility legislation that will transpose the EU directive into German law in a simple, enforceable form. Merz's move could thus become a source of conflict not only for Brussels but also for Berlin.
