Europe

European Union member states led by France and Germany are walking back on their commitment to protect human rights and the environment in global supply chains, Human Rights Watch said today. On June 23, 2025, member states agreed on a European Council position that, if it becomes law, would hollow out an EU directive on protecting rights in supply chains.

The directive, known as the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), was designed to protect victims of human rights abuses as well as the environment while creating a level playing field for companies. It marked an important shift from voluntary standards to holding companies legally accountable for human rights and environmental abuses in their entire supply chain. It entered into force in July 2024 as part of the European Green Deal, the EU Commission’s flagship project to make the EU more sustainable and climate neutral by 2050.