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The EU weakens the rules that safeguard people and the environment

The EU weakens the rules that safeguard people and the environment

470 civil society, trade unions and public interest groups tell President von der Leyen, European Commissioners and EU Member States that our rights, planet, health and justice are not for sale

The EU risks a new race to the bottom. Under President Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission plans an unprecedented wave of drastic cuts to regulations that protect labour and social rights, human rights, digital rights,
and the environment. The Commission and EU Member States might spend the next four years dismantling rules for companies operating in the EU.

Rules designed to ensure that we can live fair, just and healthy lives are already poorly-enforced. Despite clear warnings, they’re now being withdrawn, weakened or gutted of meaning at a truly unprecedented rate.

Nine months into its term, it’s clear that the Commission’s new “unprecedented simplification effort” really means ‘deregulation’. Regulations that protect us all from the excesses of corporate greed, that ensure we can breathe clean air and put a healthy meal on our family’s table are on the chopping block. Rules that ensure we can work in fair
and safe conditions, protect nature, fight discrimination, tackle corruption, have access to fair and safe financial products, and stop corporations from violating our digital privacy – that keep us all safe for today and tomorrow
– are being slashed.

The Commission’s insistence that this is about removing ‘superfluous red tape’ is not backed up by reality. They claim that trusting companies to do the right thing will make the bloc more “competitive” and that slashing rules is needed to boost “innovation” for EU companies. But plenty of sad affairs from EU history tell another story, including the financial crisis and Dieselgate.

EU rules are being cut so that shareholders can exploit people and the planet with fewer limits. Our protection is being sold out for profit, and our trust in democracy eroded.

New measures give corporations a seat at the top table of EU law-making , while those acting in the public interest are excluded by decision-makers. Flawed consultation methods further privilege corporate access. Meanwhile, civil society organisations representing diverse, societal interests risk being marginalized by decision-makers. Making the situation
worse, enforcement agencies and bodies are being hamstrung by austerity policies which cut their budgets and staff.

The Commission and Council of EU member states are trying to cut our protections on an almost daily basis. Several major proposals have been rushed through without the Commission performing their duty in producing vital Impact Assessments. This is worsened by the use of the ‘urgent procedure’ which leaves no space for a democratic debate in the European Parliament.

Principles of rulemaking are vital to democracy. By taking shortcuts, the Commission silences critical voices, and reopens legislation which already resulted from a democratic process and therefore a compromise among political forces in the EU.

This perfect storm of deregulation runs the risk of empowering the far right and anti-democratic forces, enabling corruption, increasing inequalities, slow down the urgently needed climate action and environment protection, and depriving communities and workers of essential protections and services. The ‘simplification’ agenda has already gone too far:

  • Corporate accountability and justice are further away than ever: The Commis sion and Council propose to drastically undermined climate action, environmental protections and human rights obligations in supply chains, by thoroughly weakening the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive. Transparency on companies’ sustainability level and efforts is on the brink of being slashed by significantly reducing the scope of reporting companies in the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive and the EU Taxonomy.
  • Our habitats and biodiversity may lose essential protections, while chemicals threaten public health: The Commission has proposed to remove environmental obligations from its Common Agricultural Policy, including measures to protect wetlands and peatlands. EU chemical laws over cosmetics and labelling rules for hazardous chemicals are being tar- geted, while there are worrying indica- tions that the proposed comprehensive ban on ‘forever chemicals’ (PFAS) will be weakened.
  • Pressure is taken off polluters: Delays in mandatory transformation plans to make polluting industrial sites cleaner, more circular, and climate-friendly are undermining public transparency and corporate accountability in the industrial transformation.
  • Weakened climate targets serve corporate wishes instead of planetary needs: the EC, with strong backing from EU Member States, has proposed a 2040 target to reduce emissions by 90% compared to 1990, that includes plans to weaken the policy architecture estab- lished through the climate law by intro- ducing several forms of Intro- ducing international credits within the EU climate targets would weaken EU’s level of ambition compared to a purely domestic target, which already lags be- hind its global fair share.
  • A decade of digital rights progress could be undone: the reopening of the backbone of the EU digital rulebook – the General Data Protection Regulation – means people’s sensitive data could be processed without protections. Further attacks on rights-based rules such as the AI Act, and the planned Digital Package, could undermine rules that protect all our digital lives against AI harms and surveillance from state and corporate actors.
  • A race to the bottom for workers: Cuts to social rights and protections loom, as the envisaged proposal for a ‘28th regime’ would offer companies a more lenient set of European rules. This is an open door for circumvention of national labour laws and trade union rights.
  • More poverty: The Commission aims to redirect anti-poverty funds to support corporations and industries including tech and defence.
  • The path to a just and equitable society is eroding in front of our eyes: The attempted withdrawal of the Horizontal Anti-Discrimination Directive clearly indicates that people and rights are not a priority for the European Commission (although there are reports that the Commission has rightly reconsidered due to civil society and political pressure). The only area where new rules are increasing are those for the punishment and surveillance of marginalised communities, in a context of increased spending, legislation and policies centred on criminalisation, surveillance and militarisation.
  • Financial reforms rolled back, paving the way for another crisis: Delays and numerous carve-outs are being introduced to the bank prudential capital rules agreed internationally after the global financial crisis 2007-2009. These rules are aimed at ensuring that banks manage their risks with sufficient buffers to cushion In parallel, measures intended to support sustainable fi-nance practices could be removed.

With these steps – a small selection of the many deregulation proposals, initiatives and strategies – the Commission claims to be making Europe friendlier for businesses and more competitive internationally. In doing so, they are creating a toxic and less equal world for workers, families, and vulnerable communities, and an uneven playing field for companies that want to conduct their business responsibly. In the long-term, the falsehood that it is too costly to protect people and the environment today will have an irreversible cost on our health, safety, rights, equality and freedoms tomorrow.

Instead of deregulation, we call on EU and national lawmakers to protect and promote the rights enshrined in the EU Charter and in- ternational human rights law: 

  1. Pass laws for stronger protections for social welfare, workers, consumers, anti-discrimination, justice, climate and environmental justice, privacy and data protection, and against toxic chemicals;
  2. Demand more transparency for and accountability on companies, as well as access to justice for those harmed;
  3. Take responsibility for the negative impact of EU activities, such as mining, insufficient climate targets and toxic chemicals, on other regions and communities;
  4. Enable the implementation and enforcement of laws protecting rights, justice and public interests. By providing more resources for enforcement authorities and implementation guidance and support for digital rules;
  5. Reinforce protections for civil society organisations, trade unions, human rights defenders, journalists and activists
  6. Guarantee that civil society, trade unions, impacted communities and other representative public interest actors are meaningfully consulted, included and respected in EU and national law-making.

In a time of extreme inequality, including wealth inequality, social and financial exclusion, climate destruction, democratic backsliding, surveillance capitalism, worker exploitation, deeply embedded structural harms and discrimination and broad human rights violations: we call for more protections, not fewer!

Signed,

Climate Action Network Europe (CAN Europe)

Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO)

European Digital Rights (EDRi)

European Environmental Bureau (EEB)

European Public Services Union (EPSU)

Friends of the Earth Europe (FoEE)

Global 2000

EU

  • #DiasporaVote!

  • Access Now

  • ACT Alliance EU

  • Animal Advocacy & Food Transition

  • Biofuelwatch

  • CAN Europe CEE

  • Bankwatch

  • ChemSec

  • ClientEarth

  • Compassion in World Farming

  • CONCORD

  • Cool Heating Coalition

  • Counter Balance

  • Defend Democracy

  • Earth Thrive

  • Earthsight

  • ECOnGOOD

  • EFFAT — the European Federation of Food, Agriculture, and Tourism Trade Unions

  • Emmaus Europe

  • End FGM EU

  • Environmental Justice Foundation

  • Equinox Initiative for Racial Justice

  • EU-LAT Network

  • European Alcohol Policy Alliance (Eurocare)

  • European Center for Not-for-Profit Law

  • European Civic Forum

  • European Coalition for Corporate Justice

  • European Digital Rights (EDRi)

  • European Disability Forum

  • European Grandparents for Climate – Europäische Großeltern für das Klima

  • European Heart Network

  • European Network Against Arms Trade

  • European Network of Scientists for Social and Environmental Responsibility (ENSSER)

  • European Public Health Alliance

  • European Trade Justice Coalition

  • European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF)

  • European Youth Forum

  • Fern

  • foodwatch International

  • Fossil Free Politics

  • Friends of the Earth Europe

  • Global Witness

  • Greenpeace European Unit

  • IFOAM Organics Europe

  • ILGA-Europe

  • JEF Europe

  • Just Shift

  • Partnership for Policy Integrity

  • People vs Big Tech

  • Pesticide Action Network (PAN) Europe

  • Plastic Change

  • Red Europea Oficina Internacional de Derechos Humanos Acción Colombia (OIDHACO)

  • REScoop.eu

  • SAFE – Safe Food Advocacy Europe

  • SHARE Foundation

  • Slow Food

  • Statewatch

  • Surfrider Foundation Europe

  • The European Institute for Animal Law & Policy

  • Union Syndicale Fédérale Service public européen et international

  • WeMove Europe

  • Wetlands International Europe

Global

  • 350.org

  • ActionAid

  • Balanced Economy Project

  • Business & Human Rights Resource Centre

  • Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL)

  • Clean Clothes Campaign / Schone Kleren Campagne

  • Climate+Tech AI Think-tank for Resilience

  • Ekō

  • EKOenergy ecolabel

  • Environmental Investigation Agency

  • Fair Finance International

  • International Federation for Human Rights

  • Mondiaal FNV

  • Naturfreunde Internationale

  • Oil Change International

  • Oxfam

  • Public Services International

  • Rainforest Alliance

  • Stichting Solidaridad

  • Transnational Institute

  • WECF International

  • Women Engage for a Common Future (WECF)

Rest of the world

  • Action pour la Justice Environnementale AJE (Senegal)

  • Alliance pour les droits des femmes mauritaniennes ADFM (Mauritania)

  • ALTSEAN-Burma (Myanmar)

  • ARRCC – Australian Religious Response to Climate Change (Oceania)

  • Association Marocaine des Droits Humains (Morocco)

  • Association Mauritanienne des droits de l’Homme (Mauritania)

  • Association Sustainable Development Inkingi (Uganda)

  • California Nature Friends (USA)

  • Centro de Investigación y Promoción de los Derechos Humanos (CIPRODEH) (Honduras)

  • Centro de Políticas Públicas y Derechos Humanos EQUIDAD (Peru)

  • Centro Hondureño de Promocion Para El Desarrollo Comunitario (Honduras)

  • Derecho, Ambiente y Recursos Naturales – DAR (Peru)

  • Derechos Humanos y Medio Ambiente – DHUMA (Peru)

  • Forest Watch Indonesia (Indonesia)

  • Global Justice Ecology Project (USA)

  • Institute for Research and Advocacy / Link-AR Borneo (Indonesia)

  • ITEKA INITIATIVE (Uganda)

  • Lebanese Center for Human Rights (Lebanon)

  • Les Mêmes Droits pour Tous (Guinea)

  • Ligue Burundaise des droits de l’homme Iteka (Burundi)

  • OpenMedia (Canada)

  • Red de Acción por los Derechos Ambientales (Chile)

  • Réseau des Défenseurs des Droits Humains en Afrique Centrale (REDHAC) (Cameroon)

  • Snow Alliance (China)

  • Taiwan Association for Human Rights (TAHR) (Taiwan)

  • The Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) (USA)

  • Vietnam Committee on Human Rights (Vietnam)

Albania

  • Albanian Human Rights Group

  • Environmental Center for Development Education and Networking (EDEN)

  • Trade Union Federation of Building, Wood and Public Services of Albania (TUBWPSA)

  • TUFDCWA

Armenia

  • Health Workers Trade Organization of Armenia (HWUA)

  • Union of State, Local Government and Public Service Employees of Armenia (USLGPSEA)

Austria

  • AK EUROPA

  • Anders Handeln Austria

  • ARCHE NOAH

  • ARGE Weltläden Österreich

  • Attac Austria

  • Austrian Alliance for Climate Justice

  • Austrian Trade Union Federation

  • KOO – Austrian Bishops’ Conference for International Development and Mission

  • Degrowth Vienna

  • EU-Umweltbüro

  • fair sorgen!

  • NeSoVe

  • ÖBV – Via Campesina Austria

  • ÖKOBÜRO – Alliance of the Austrian Environmental Movement

  • Protect Our Winters Austria

  • Südwind Austria

  • transform! Europe

  • Umweltdachverband

  • Volkshilfe Österreich

  • younion – Die Daseinsgewerkschaft

Belgium

  • 11.11.11

  • ACV Puls

  • ACV-CSC Belgium

  • Alliance Nationale des Mutualités Chrétiennes / Landsbond der christelijke mutualiteiten

  • BeeLife European Beekeeping Coordination

  • Biodynamic Federation Demeter International

  • BOS+

  • Broederlijk Delen

  • Carbon Market Watch

  • Centre tricontinental – CETRI

  • CNCD-11.11.11

  • De Landgenoten

  • Entraide & Fraternité

  • Eurogroup for Animals

  • European Federation of Building and Woodworkers (EFBWW)

  • FIAN Belgium

  • Finance Watch

  • Fonds pour la Chirurgie Cardiaque

  • Food & Water Action Europe

  • FOS

  • Grands-Parents pour le Climat / Grootouders voor het Klimaat

  • Humundi

  • Jesuit European Social Centre (JESC)

  • Les Amis de la Terre – Belgique asbl

  • Oxfam Belgique/België

  • Rise for Climate Belgium

  • ShareAction

  • Solidair met Guatemala

  • SOLIDAR

  • Univers santé ASBL

  • Voedsel Anders Vlaanderen

  • Vredesactie

  • vzw Climaxi

  • WSM – We Social Movements

Bulgaria

  • AGROLINK Association

  • Environmental Association Za Zemiata – Friends of the Earth Bulgaria

  • National Federation Culture Podkrepa

  • Trade Union Federation of the Employees in the Ministry of Interior (TUFEMI)

Croatia

  • ACT Grupa

  • Association Shift/Pomak

  • Association “Tatavaka”

  • Association BIOM

  • Association for Nature, Environment and Sustainable Development Sunce

  • Association Hyla

  • Association Žmergo

  • Centre for Civil Initiatives Porec

  • Centre for Peace Studies

  • Centre for Peace, Nonviolence and Human Rights – Osijek

  • Community Foundation Slagalica

  • Croatian Platform for International Citizen Solidarity (CROSOL)

  • Croatian Youth Network

  • DEŠA Dubrovnik

  • Documenta – Center for Dealing with the Past

  • Domino

  • Dugine obitelji

  • Eco Hvar

  • Forum for Freedom in Education

  • Gong

  • kolekTIRV – For the rights of trans, intersex, and gender variant persons

  • Life Quality Improvement Organisation FLIGHT

  • Politiscope

  • Rehabilitation Centre for Stress and Trauma

  • Roditelji u akciji – Roda (Parents in Action)

  • Terra Hub

  • Udruga Zelena Istra

  • Zagreb Pride

  • Zelena akcija – Friends of the Earth Croatia

Cyprus

  • Friends of the Earth Cyprus

Czechia

  • Centre for Transport and Energy

  • Hnutí DUHA – Friends of the Earth Czech Republic

  • Limity jsme my

  • Odborový svaz zdravotnictví a sociální péče ČR (Health Service and Social Care Union)

  • Society for Sustainable Living

Denmark

  • Bedsteforældrenes KlimaAktion – Danmark

  • Global Aktion – People and Planet before Profit

  • NOAH – Friends of the Earth Denmark

Estonia

  • Association of Estonian Energetics Workers’ Trade Unions

  • Estonian Green Movement

Finland

  • Attac Finland

  • Climate Grandparents Finland

  • CRASH – Coalition for Research and Action for Social Justice and Human Dignity

  • Fingo – Finnish development NGOs

  • Finnish Association for Nature Conservation

  • Finnish League for Human Rights

  • International Solidarity Foundation

  • Pro Ethical Trade Finland (Eetti)

  • The Finnish Union of Practical Nurses

  • Trade Union for the Public and Welfare Sectors (JHL)

France

  • Adéquations

  • Amis de la Terre France

  • Association Addictions France

  • ATTAC France

  • AVICENN – @VeilleNanos

  • Canopée

  • CGT santé action sociale

  • CGT Collectif Ethique sur l’Etiquette

  • Fédération CFDT Santé-Sociaux

  • Fédération Française des Apiculteurs Professionnels

  • Fédération Interco CFDT

  • Federation SEPANSO Aquitaine

  • France Nature Environnement

  • Générations Futures

  • GIET – Groupe international d’études transdisciplinaires

  • Global Health Advocates

  • LDH – Ligue des droits de l’Homme

  • No plastic in my sea

  • Notre Affaire à Tous

  • OGM dangers

  • Quê Me – Vietnam Committee on Human Rights (VCHR)

  • Reclaim Finance

  • Réseau Action Climat

  • Réseau Cler

  • Ritimo

  • Sciences Citoyennes

  • Sherpa

  • SNICS-FSU – Syndicat National des Infirmières conseillères de Santé

  • Syndicat national d’apiculture

  • Union Nationale de l’Apiculture Française

  • Zero Waste France

Georgia

  • Georgian Health Promotion and Education Foundation

Germany

  • Aktionsgemeinschaft Solidarische Welt (ASW) e.V.

  • AlgorithmWatch

  • Association of Ethical Shareholders Germany

  • bend not break

  • Breaking the Ice

  • Bund für Umwelt- und Naturschutz (BUND) e.V.

  • BUNDjugend

  • Bündnis für eine enkeltaugliche Landwirtschaft e.V.

  • Coordination gegen BAYER-Gefahren

  • CorA-Netzwerk für Unternehmensverantwortung

  • D64 – Zentrum für Digitalen Fortschritt

  • Democracy International e.V.

  • Deutscher Imkerbund

  • Deutscher Naturschutzring e.V.

  • Die Bürokratiemonster

  • Digitale Gesellschaft

  • FIAN Deutschland e.V.

  • Finanzwende

  • Forum Ökologie & Papier

  • Foundation on Future Farming / Zukunftsstiftung Landwirtschaft

  • Global Policy Forum Europe

  • Goliathwatch

  • Health and Environment Justice Support (HEJSupport)

  • Informationsstelle Peru e.V.

  • Initiative Lieferkettengesetz

  • Kampagne für Saubere Kleidung – Clean Clothes Campaign Germany

  • Kulturland-Genossenschaft

  • LobbyControl

  • NaturFreunde Deutschlands e.V.

  • Neuer Imkerbund e.V.

  • PowerShift e.V.

  • Shifting Advocacy

  • Unverpackt e.V. – Verband der Unverpacktläden

  • ver.di

  • World Economy, Ecology and Development

Greece

  • ENA Institute for Alternative Policies

  • ECOCITY

  • Electra Energy

  • European Economists for an Alternative Economic Policy in Europe – EuroMemo Group

  • Homo Digitalis

  • Naturefriends Greece

Hungary

  • Clean Air Action Group

  • EVDSZ

  • Nagy Tavak és Vizes Élőhelyek Szövetsége (Great Lakes and Wetlands Association)

  • National Society of Conservationists – Friends of the Earth Hungary

  • Szakszervezetek Együttműködési Fóruma (SZEF)

Ireland

  • Energy Services Union

  • Fórsa

  • Friends of the Earth Ireland

  • Karan O Loughlin

  • SIPTU

  • Trócaire

  • Zero Waste Alliance Ireland

Italy

  • Attac Italia

  • FAIR

  • Fairwatch

  • FLAEI – Cisl

  • Forum Disuguaglianze e Diversità (Forum DD)

  • FP CGIL

  • Hermes Center

  • ISDE – International Society of Doctors for Environment Italy

  • Legambiente

  • ReCommon

  • UIL PA – Unione Italiana dei Lavoratori Pubblica Amministrazione

  • Union Syndicale Federale Ispra

  • WeWorld

Latvia

  • Green Liberty

  • Latvian Fund for Nature (LDF)

Lithuania

  • Law Enforcement Officers’ Federation of Lithuania

  • Lithuanian Industry Trade Union Federation

  • VšĮ “Žiedinė ekonomika”

Luxembourg

  • Action Solidarité Tiers Monde (ASTM)

  • ASTI asbl

  • Initiative pour un devoir de vigilance Luxembourg

  • Mouvement Ecologique

  • OGBL

Malta

  • Friends of the Earth Malta

  • General Workers’ Union

Moldova

  • Ecodigital NGO

  • ECO-TIRAS International Association of River Keepers

Netherlands

  • 75inQ

  • Bits of Freedom

  • Comité Schone Lucht

  • Dutch Institute of Alcohol Policy – STAP

  • FNV Overheid

  • Foodrise

  • Grootouders voor het Klimaat

  • Handel Anders!

  • Leefmilieu

  • Milieudefensie – Friends of the Earth Netherlands

  • Plastic Soup Foundation

  • Simavi

  • Stichting Demeter

  • Voedsel Anders NL

  • WO=MEN Dutch Gender Platform

  • Working Group Foodjustice