COMECE joins on Wednesday 5 July 2023 the appeal of faith leaders across the world urging for a strong EU due diligence legislation. General Secretary Fr. Barrios Prieto: “It would be an important step towards a sustainable economy that serves people and respects the planet”. Read the Statement
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The Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE) supports the statement endorsed by more than 160 faith leaders worldwide, urging the EU institutions to adopt a robust legal framework to hold companies accountable for environmental damage and human rights abuses.
In the context of the ongoing interinstitutional negations on the future EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, faith leaders plead for the EU law to be aligned with international standards and to cover a wide range of human rights and environmental harmful impacts throughout a company’s whole value chain. In case of such violations, faith leaders highlight that victims should not be expected to carry the burden of evidence when seeking justice.
Moreover, faith leaders demand that “consultations with affected communities and other relevant stakeholders should be included as an integral part of the due diligence process”.
When signing the appeal, the General Secretary of COMECE, Fr. Manuel Barrios Prieto, stated: “A robust EU Due diligence Directive would be an important step towards a sustainable economy that serves people and respects the planet. We encourage EU decision-makers to uphold this ambition throughout the ongoing trialogue negotiations”.
COMECE participation in this initiative follows up on a series of advocacy actions highlighting the need for a binding EU due diligence legislation. The faith leaders’ statement was prepared and coordinated by CIDSE, the international family of Catholic social justice organisations.