ECCJ has long been calling for EU legislation on mandatory human rights and environmental due diligence and corporate liability, requiring companies to identify, prevent, mitigate and account for human rights abuses and environmental damage in their global value chains.

EU-wide mandatory corporate due diligence and accountability legislation would:

• Enable the EU to fulfil its international duties under the UNGPs.
• Prevent human rights abuses in global business operations.
• Ensure a level playing field and a coherent legal framework for all EU companies.
• Promote responsible business conduct, including by foreign undertakings, which would be required to implement due diligence measures to operate in the single market.
• Ensure respect for core labour rights worldwide and reverse the current trend towards a race to the bottom in terms of social standards.
• Preserve the EU’s reputation as a global champion for human rights.
• Give consumers the confidence that the goods and services they buy are produced and provided responsibly.

ECCJ has identified and detailed a set of minimum provisions that such legislation should include to ensure an effective and comprehensive EU regulatory framework for the above purposes.