On 22 December 2020, the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and its members including the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS) published an advocacy brief with recommendations addressed to relevant European institutions and actors regarding the EU human rights and environmental due diligence legislation (HREDD).
The advocacy brief presents cross-regional views and calls on relevant stakeholders to ensure that the EU HREDD legislation does have a positive impact on affected communities beyond Europe and around the world, particularly in the Global South and in conflict-affected areas.
The publication draws attention to three key conditions that must be met in the EU HREDD legislation, without which the legislation could fall short of achieving its objective:
- The law needs to apply to all companies operating in the EU market, not only to those headquartered in the EU, and their operations in Europe and abroad;
- The law should extend to the entire value chain, and contain specific provisions for companies operating in conflict and high-risk areas; and,
- It needs to clearly establish that companies should be liable both for not complying with due diligence requirements and for the harm that they or the entities they de facto control either cause or contribute to.
Lastly, given the adverse impact of European businesses and supply chains in the Global South and conflict-affected areas, the publication calls on relevant stakeholders to properly consult with individuals, human rights defenders and civil society organisations there.
Read the full advocacy brief “A Matter of Justice: How European Legislation Can Make a Difference” here.
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