European Parliament supply chain vote comes on Rana Plaza anniversary
The European Parliament has voted to approve a proposed law to require large companies to prevent and remedy human rights and environmental abuses in their global supply chains. The vote took place in Strasbourg on the anniversary of the Rana Plaza disaster.
On April 24, 2013, the Rana Plaza building in Bangladesh’s capital, Dhaka, collapsed, causing the loss of the lives of 1,138 garment workers.
Europe’s proposed law will require large companies to conduct human rights and environmental due diligence across their global value chains. Regulators will be authorised to take action against companies that fail to conduct such due diligence and, in some situations, victims of abuses will be able to approach European courts to seek justice.
Following the vote in the European Parliament, the law now needs final approval by ministers of EU member states. The EU ministerial vote is expected to take place in late May.
