EU directive on corporate due diligence: International humanitarian law must be upheld

30/08/2022

Open Letter

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Business and Human Rights

John Thys / AFP

30 August 2022. The proposal made by the European Union (EU) for a legislation on mandatory due diligence for companies doesn’t pay enough attention to the risks at play in conflict-affected and high-risk areas. Many EU-based businesses operate in conflict-affected and high-risk areas, they face a high risk of becoming involved in severe human rights abuses and violations of international humanitarian law. The EU needs to ensure greater alignment of its policies with the UN Guiding Principles, which require states and companies to conduct heightened, conflict-sensitive due diligence when active in these areas.

On 30 August, the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and some of its members along with join organisations and academic professionals active in the field of business, conflict and human rights, signed and published a joint statement calling on states to explicitly include conflict sensitivity and international humanitarian law in the future EU directive on corporate sustainability due diligence. In the statement, the signatories welcome the European Commission’s Proposal, however, they identify a highly concerning gap in the draft directive: the absence of any provisions regarding conflict and responsible business conduct in conflict-affected and high-risk areas.

Read the Joint Statement below: