Economy Green politician warns against watering down the supply chain law
Green politician Ricarda Lang is putting pressure on the SPD in the coalition dispute over the European Supply Chain Act. "Friedrich Merz must not destroy the European Supply Chain Act," she told the German Press Agency.
23.06.2025, 03:47
SDA
The SPD should not stand by and watch him do this, she added. Consumers in Europe must be able to rely on the fact that T-shirts are not sewn by children and cell phones are not manufactured using forced labor.
The European Supply Chain Act was passed last year. The aim is to strengthen human rights worldwide. Large companies are to be held accountable if they profit from human rights violations such as child or forced labor. Following criticism from companies, parts of the directive are to be simplified.
Law on the agenda in Brussels
Representatives of the EU member states want to discuss the project in Brussels on Monday. According to a current proposal, they could agree, among other things, that significantly fewer companies should be affected by the rules in future. Lang demands: "Under no circumstances should the German government support the proposed watering down of the European Supply Chain Act."
There has already been open disagreement within the German government on how to deal with the EU law. While Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) had called for the directive to be completely abolished, the SPD pointed out that the coalition agreement states that the EU supply chain law should be implemented. Even if there is an agreement among the EU member states, the European Parliament must also approve changes to the project.
