As of: February 9, 2024, 1:03 p.m
By: Amy Walker
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Press
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A fully loaded container freighter at Buchardkai in the Port of Hamburg © IMAGO/Markus Tischler
Because the FDP refused to approve the planned EU supply chain law, Germany should have abstained.
Instead, the vote is postponed.
Brussels – After a blockade by the FDP, the vote among the EU countries on a European supply chain law was postponed.
According to diplomats, a vote planned for Friday (February 9, 2024) on the law that would make companies liable for child labor, exploitation and environmental pollution in their supply chains was canceled at the last minute.
Germany should have abstained from Brussels because the FDP refused to give its consent.
Traffic light dispute: FDP suddenly refuses consent
The traffic light parties had originally enshrined in the coalition agreement that they would advocate for a European regulation.
However, in the final stages, Federal Justice Minister Marco Buschmann (FDP) found the law to be “unreasonable for small and medium-sized companies” in its current form.
The Spanish negotiators of the member states exceeded their mandate during the negotiations in December by making concessions to Parliament.
Without German consent, the majority among the member states was no longer secured.
Italy and several small EU countries, among others, had expressed concerns.
It initially remained unclear when the member states should vote again on the supply chain law.
The postponement makes it questionable whether the directive can be passed before the European elections at the beginning of June.
(wal/afp)