EU Commission proposal Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence

Fair working conditions and better environmental and climate protection in the production and trade of goods around the world: these are the most important goals of the European Due Diligence Act. The TÜV Association highly welcomes the European Commission’s proposal to make due diligence obligations for responsible supply chains mandatory for companies operating in the EU.The European Union now has the historic opportunity to create clear rules and a level playing field for compliance with human rights and environmental due diligence obligations for all companies 
active in the European Single Market. It was not least the coronavirus pandemic that has illustrated the need to make supply chain relationships responsible and resilient.

The TÜV Association welcomes the EU Commission's plans to establish binding requirements by considering the entire supply chain. Welcomed is also that the proposal includes comprehensive social and human rights, as well as environmental and climate-related due diligence obligations. For a successful implementation of the Due Diligence Act, the EU legislator should not only focus on providing comprehensive requirements, but also on ensuring that the requirements are effectively complied with. We strongly welcome that the proposal assigns an important role to independent third parties assessing compliance with due diligence obligations along the supply chain. Certifications and onsite audits by independent conformity assessment bodies are important instruments to ensure compliance with social and environmental standards. Independent third party assessments can create the necessary confidence in the statements of the individual elements in the supply chain – thereby supporting companies and authorities, creating transparency for consumers and, ultimately, contributing to an equitable and sustainable world. The TÜV Association is now calling for a swift legislative process. Given the long delays in the preparation of the proposal, the European Parliament and the Council should seek to adopt their positions quickly.

Central Demands of the TÜV-Association concerning the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence

EU Commission proposal Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence (COM (2022) 71 final)