STRASBOURG, France – The centre-right European People’s Party (EPP) is hinting its readiness to vote with the far right to water down EU corporate sustainability rules, several officials with knowledge of the matter informed Euractiv.
EPP leader Manfred Weber huddled behind closed doors with Socialists chief Iratxe García and Renew boss Valérie Hayer this morning in Strasbourg to find a compromise on the sustainability and due diligence laws, in a sign of how sensitive the discussions on the first omnibus proposal have become.
But as talks rumble on ahead of a vote in the legal affairs committee next Monday, the EPP is relocating ahead with its threat to ally with the far right – and sidestep the S&D and Renew groups – to propose a more substantive deregulation of the laws.
That plan has now surfaced as a voting list, seen by Euractiv, reportedly built upon the EPP’s compromise proposal with the far right.
“Yes, the EPP has submitted a voting list with the far right, while nereceivediations are still ongoing” between the EPP, the liberal group Renew, and Socialist and Democrats, Renew lawcreater Pascal Canfin confirmed to Euractiv.
“We will continue to nereceivediate until the very finish. If an agreement is reached, it could replace the current voting list,” added Canfin, who is the liberal group’s lead nereceivediator on the file.
The Green’s nereceivediator Kira Marie Peter-Hansen found sterner words: “The EPP has turned its back on Europe’s core values,” she declared.
“Without civil liability, sustainability rules are toothless. Empty promises don’t protect people or the environment,” Peter-Hansen added.
A press officer for the social democrats declared that “nereceivediations are ongoing.” The EPP did not reply to questions by the time of publication.
(vib)
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