A majority in the EU Parliament has rejected the agreement on simplifying the EU's sustainability rules, which the Danish EU presidency had hoped to achieve. The result will disappoint European companies that see the rules as a heavy administrative burden.
On the other hand, the vote pleases the Greens, including the SF member of the EU Parliament, Kira Marie Peter-Hansen.
- I am relieved that the parliament said no to a frontal attack on EU sustainability legislation at the last minute. Now a lot of work awaits to secure a compromise that can find support among the pro-European parties and provide clarity for companies, says Kira Marie Peter-Hansen.
The so-called Omnibus 1 would have exempted the majority of European companies from reporting requirements on sustainability and human rights. Stine Bosse of the Moderates is upset about the result, which she believes will harm Europe's competitiveness.
- Today there was serious politics in the European Parliament, and it is deeply disappointing. The proposal fell by just 11 votes, and this means that an important opportunity to strengthen the EU's competitiveness has been wasted, says Stine Bosse.
She believes that after eight months of negotiations, a "solid compromise" was otherwise on the table. According to Stine Bosse, this would have exempted the vast majority of companies in EU countries from reporting on sustainability without "compromising on the basic principles of sustainability reporting".
- It was an agreement that both eased the burdens on business and maintained the green ambitions, says Stine Bosse.
Kira Marie Peter-Hansen: We need to get back on track
The Greens in the EU Parliament - of which SF is a part - believe, on the other hand, that the agreement would have weakened the EU's efforts for the climate and decent working conditions.
- Now we need to get back on track. Companies need a clear framework, and we need to get started on what it should have been all about. To ensure better protection of the environment and decent working conditions in global value chains, says Kira Marie Peter-Hansen.
The vote also underlines the increasingly bitter showdown between the EPP group and the other parties in the coalition behind the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. Von der Leyen has her political position in the bourgeois EPP group.
But it was a coalition across the middle consisting of the social democratic S&D group, the liberal Renew group and the Greens that brought her to power. However, the EPP group also has the opportunity to create a majority on the right in the chamber. This has created great dissatisfaction in the center coalition:
- This should stand as a warning to the EPP group. When you base your strategy on the right wing, it affects both trust and results. They should instead put the green harvester aside and sit down at the table with the pro-European parties, says Kira Marie Peter-Hansen.
/ritzau/
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