The EPP, S&D, Renew Europe and Greens/EFA groups in the European Parliament have yet to find common ground on the ‘omnibus I’ package, which simplifies the CSDD and CSRD directives on due diligence and corporate sustainability. The deadline for submitting joint amendments passed on Wednesday 5 November, ahead of the plenary vote on Thursday 13 November, but there is still a last chance for the rapporteur to submit compromise amendments at the last minute.
In recent days, the S&D, Renew Europe and Greens/EFA groups have submitted a proposal to the EPP rapporteur, Jörgen Warborn (Swedish), which has remained unanswered, according to two sources from different groups.
In the offer submitted to the EPP, the shadow rapporteurs from the left and centre groups dropped their demands on civil liability and proposed longer deadlines for complying with the obligations linked to the climate transition plan in the CSDDD, according to a document seen by Agence Europe.
In exchange, they asked for a review of the threshold for companies subject to the CSDDD. Instead of 5,000 employees and a turnover of €1.5 billion, the Greens/EFA, Renew Europe and S&D suggested going back to 3,000 employees and a turnover of €750 million, to include more companies in the scope of the directive.
In the absence of a compromise at this stage, the groups tabled their own amendments on Wednesday. The negotiator for the Renew Europe group, Pascal Canfin (French), the S&D negotiator, René Repasi (German) and the Greens/EFA rapporteur, Kira Peter-Hansen (Danish), said they were ready to negotiate constructively to form a majority in the centre. “Any alternative risks undermining the ‘von der Leyen’ majority”, Pascal Canfin replied to Agence Europe.
“One thing must be clear: compromise cannot mean blackmail. The ball is now in the EPP’s court – and it will be their choice whether this process ends in cooperation or collapse”, added René Repasi.
For its part, the EPP denies taking a radical stance and is blaming the S&D, which had given the green light to the compromise adopted in the Committee on Legal Affairs, then split during the plenary vote (see EUROPE 13736/9). (Original version in French by Léa Marchal)