Bill to Repeal German Supply Chain Due Diligence Law Introduced
Berlin, Germany – December 3, 2024 – A bill has been introduced in the German Parliament that would repeal the country’s landmark Supply Chain Due Diligence Act (Lieferkettensorgfaltspflichtengesetz). The law, which came into effect in January 2023, requires companies with more than 3,000 employees in Germany to take steps to ensure that their global supply chains are free from human rights violations and environmental damage.
The bill, which is sponsored by the opposition Christian Democratic Union (CDU), argues that the law is too burdensome for businesses and that it is ineffective in preventing human rights violations. The CDU claims that the law has led to increased costs and bureaucracy for companies, without any corresponding decrease in human rights violations.
Supporters of the law argue that it is a necessary step to ensure that German companies are not complicit in human rights abuses. They point to the fact that the law has already led to some companies taking steps to improve their supply chain practices.
The bill is expected to be debated in Parliament in the coming months. It is unclear whether it will pass, as the CDU is currently in the minority. However, the introduction of the bill highlights the ongoing debate about the role of businesses in preventing human rights violations.
Background on the German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act
The German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act was passed in 2021 and came into effect in January 2023. The law requires companies with more than 3,000 employees in Germany to take steps to ensure that their global supply chains are free from human rights violations and environmental damage.
The law requires companies to:
- Identify and assess the risks of human rights violations and environmental damage in their supply chains
- Take steps to mitigate these risks
- Monitor their supply chains for human rights violations and environmental damage
- Report on their efforts to comply with the law
The law has been welcomed by human rights groups, but it has also been criticized by businesses. Businesses argue that the law is too burdensome and that it is ineffective in preventing human rights violations.
The German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act is one of the most far-reaching laws of its kind in the world. It is expected to have a significant impact on the way that German companies do business.
Impact of the Bill
If the bill to repeal the German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act is passed, it would significantly reduce the legal requirements for German companies to prevent human rights violations and environmental damage in their supply chains. This would likely lead to some companies reducing their efforts in these areas.
However, it is also possible that the bill would not pass, or that it would be amended to address the concerns of businesses. In this case, the German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act would remain in place and would continue to have a significant impact on the way that German companies do business.
The AI has provided us with the news.
I’ve asked Google Gemini the following question, and here’s its response.
Drucksachen a new article on 2024-12-03 11:00 titled “20/14015: Gesetzentwurf Entwurf eines Gesetzes zur Aufhebung des Gesetzes über die unternehmerischen Sorgfaltspflichten zur Vermeidung von Menschenrechtsverletzungen in Lieferketten (Lieferkettensorgfaltspflichtenaufhebungsgesetz) (PDF)”. Please write a detailed article on this news item, including any relevant information. Answers should be in English.
89