03 Apr. EU gives companies more time to comply with due diligence and sustainability reporting

ÖDP MEP Manuela Ripa agrees to ease the burden on companies, but warns against weakening the laws

531 votes in favor, 69 against and 17 abstentions: The EU Parliament postponed the entry into force of new rules on due diligence obligations and sustainability reporting by a large majority of MEPs. This gives companies more time to adapt to the requirements.

Manuela Ripa also voted in favor of the postponement. "However, there must be no weakening of sustainability reporting and corporate due diligence obligations," emphasizes the representative of the Ecological Democratic Party (ÖDP - Die Naturschutzpartei) in the European Parliament, "Companies must not be overburdened with overly bureaucratic rules. We therefore need less red tape in order to avoid excessive regulatory requirements." The postponement should now ensure this. Ripa: "However, it is important that the objectives of the European Green Deal are adhered to and that EU laws are not gutted." Improving sustainability information, redirecting financial flows to sustainable economic sectors and making companies more accountable with regard to environmental and sustainability criteria must remain high on the agenda: "This is how we want to guarantee human rights and environmental standards in supply chains, and it must stay that way," says the ÖDP European politician, who is also a member of her party's national executive committee. Ripa agrees with Günther Brendle-Behnisch on this issue. The ÖDP national chairman insists that the postponement "must under no circumstances be accompanied by a watering down of the rules". He therefore calls for the time to be used properly: "The EU Parliament must improve the rules further if necessary."