The European Parliament’s approval on December 16, 2025, of final amendments watering down the European Union’s flagship corporate accountability law severely undermines the EU’s ability to hold businesses accountable for human rights and environmental harms, Human Rights Watch said today.

The vote on the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive draws to a close eight months of intense industry lobbying, a nontransparent policy process, and chaotic negotiations. The changes reduce the number of companies covered by the law and delete companies’ obligation to implement climate transition plans.