The Forced Labour Regulation creates a framework for investigation and enforcement against products made with forced labour.
On 19 November 2024, the EU Council (Council) adopted a regulation prohibiting products made with...more
12/2/2024
/ Corporate Counsel ,
Due Diligence ,
Enforcement ,
EU ,
European Commission ,
Forced Labor ,
Human Rights ,
Investigations ,
Member State ,
New Regulations ,
Supply Chain ,
Sustainable Business Practices
The vote follows the European Commission’s proposal to delay application of the regulation by one year.
On 14 November 2024, the European Parliament (Parliament) voted in favour of the European Commission’s (Commission) ...more
11/19/2024
/ Climate Change ,
Due Diligence ,
Effective Date ,
Environmental Policies ,
EU ,
European Commission ,
European Parliament ,
Exporters ,
Green Initiatives ,
Importers ,
Manufacturers ,
Member State ,
Proposed Amendments ,
Supply Chain ,
Sustainability
The Commission published guidance documents to the regulation and proposed to postpone its entry into application to 30 December 2025....more
On 5 July 2024, the final text of the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) was entered into the Official Journal of the EU. The CSDDD will enter force on 25 July 2024. This marks the final key step in the...more
7/15/2024
/ Climate Change ,
Corporate Governance ,
Corporate Social Responsibility ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Due Diligence ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
EU ,
EU Directive ,
Member State ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Supply Chain ,
Sustainability ,
Sustainable Business Practices
The CSDDD is set to impose mandatory human rights and environmental due diligence obligations for in-scope companies.
On 5 July 2024, the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) was published in the...more
7/9/2024
/ Climate Change ,
Corporate Governance ,
Corporate Social Responsibility ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Due Diligence ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
EU ,
EU Directive ,
Member State ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Supply Chain ,
Sustainability ,
Sustainable Business Practices
The ruling propels UK law enforcement to increase its investigative powers under POCA, and businesses to enhance their supply chain due diligence.
On 27 June 2024, the UK Court of Appeal found that the National Crime...more
7/9/2024
/ China ,
Criminal Investigations ,
Due Diligence ,
Human Rights ,
Imports ,
Law Enforcement ,
National Crime Agency (NCA) ,
Prisoners ,
Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (POCA) ,
Supply Chain ,
UK ,
Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA)
On 24 March 2024, the European Parliament approved the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) with a vote of 374 in favour (compared with 235 votes against and 19 abstentions)....more
4/26/2024
/ Compliance ,
Corporate Governance ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Due Diligence ,
EU ,
EU Directive ,
European Parliament ,
Member State ,
Supply Chain ,
Sustainability ,
Sustainable Business Practices
For the first time, the Court has confirmed that the adverse impacts of climate change fall within the ambit of human rights protection under the European Convention of Human Rights, obliging States to implement effective...more
The proposed regulation would ban forced labour-made products from the EU market, affecting companies’ supply chains and requiring compliance checks.
On 5 March 2024, the European Parliament and European Council...more
3/25/2024
/ Compliance ,
Compliance Monitoring ,
Due Diligence ,
EU ,
European Council ,
European Parliament ,
Exports ,
Forced Labor ,
Human Rights ,
Member State ,
Proposed Rules ,
Supply Chain ,
Third Country Entities (TCEs)
Following extended negotiations, the directive was endorsed with a significantly narrower scope that would reduce the number of companies affected.
On 15 March 2024, EU Member States endorsed the Belgian Presidency’s...more
3/18/2024
/ Belgium ,
Due Diligence ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
EU ,
EU Directive ,
European Council ,
European Parliament ,
Germany ,
Member State ,
Supply Chain ,
Sustainability ,
Sustainable Business Practices
Political Agreement Reached on Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Rules -
On 14 December 2023, the European Council (Council) and European Parliament (Parliament) reached a political agreement on the Corporate...more
The new rules would oblige companies to integrate their human rights and environmental impact into their management systems.
On December 14, 2023, the European Council (Council) and European Parliament (Parliament)...more
The Private Members Bill, if passed, would establish the UK’s first law mandating business due diligence on human rights and the environment.
On 28 November 2023, Baroness Young of Hornsey (Baroness Young) introduced the...more
The regulation aims to minimise the EU’s contribution to deforestation and forest degradation.
The European Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) entered into force on 29 June 2023, following publication in the Official Journal...more
The Guidelines build on current social, environmental, and technological issues facing businesses following the last update in 2011.
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) released updated...more
6/27/2023
/ Climate Change ,
Compliance ,
Corporate Governance ,
Corporate Social Responsibility ,
Due Diligence ,
EU ,
Guidance Update ,
Member State ,
Multinationals ,
OECD ,
Regulatory Agencies ,
Supply Chain ,
Sustainable Business Practices ,
Transparency ,
UK
Trialogue negotiations have begun following the parliament’s vote.
On 1 June 2023, the European Parliament voted to adopt its initial negotiating position on the EU’s proposed Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence...more
The Supply Chain Act poses new challenges to suppliers when conducting business with new or existing German-based customers.
Key Points:
..The Supply Chain Act obliges in-scope companies to identify, address, and...more
The Council’s position includes a number of differences from the European Commission’s original proposal, including in relation to the requirement to diligence the broader value chain.
On 30 November 2022, the European...more
Human rights due diligence standards are being negotiated at the international level, which may complement or complicate national and regional regulations.
Latham & Watkins is pleased to introduce a series of Clients...more
The proposal highlights the growing global focus on companies’ human rights obligations not just towards employees but also towards workers in their supply chains.
On 14 September 2022, the European Commission (the...more
9/16/2022
/ Due Diligence ,
EU ,
European Commission ,
Exports ,
Forced Labor ,
Human Rights ,
Manufacturers ,
Member State ,
Proposed Regulation ,
Supply Chain ,
Sustainable Business Practices
EU Parliament and Council reach agreement on CSRD -
European Parliament and European Council | 21 June 2022 -
The European Parliament and European Council reached a provisional political agreement on the terms of the...more
8/18/2022
/ Antitrust Provisions ,
Blocked Mergers ,
Corporate Governance ,
Due Diligence ,
EU ,
EU Directive ,
European Commission ,
European Parliament ,
Exemptions ,
Natural Gas ,
Nuclear Power ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Sustainability ,
Sustainable Business Practices ,
Sustainable Finance ,
Unfair or Deceptive Trade Practices
The Strategy provides useful guidance for importers seeking to comply with the provisions of the UFLPA.
The Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) was signed into law by President Biden on December 23, 2021, to...more
7/13/2022
/ Compliance ,
Customs and Border Protection ,
Due Diligence ,
Enforcement ,
Enforcement Priorities ,
Entity List ,
Forced Labor ,
Importers ,
Imports ,
New Guidance ,
Rebuttable Presumptions ,
Supply Chain ,
Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA)
In-scope companies would have to publicly identify “actual and potential” adverse impacts of their operations on the environment and/or human rights.
On 23 February 2022, the European Commission (the Commission)...more
Dealmakers should continue to weigh the impact of ESG issues on M&A deals as ESG standards evolve.
Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues have become increasingly important for corporates in recent years,...more
1/11/2022
/ Acquisitions ,
Climate Change ,
Corporate Governance ,
Data Privacy ,
Diversity and Inclusion Standards (D&I) ,
Due Diligence ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
EU ,
Green Finance ,
Human Rights ,
IFRS ,
Indemnification Clauses ,
Mergers ,
Modern Slavery Act ,
Private Equity ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Representations and Warranties ,
Supply Chain ,
Sustainability ,
UK
Green shoots emerge as PE firms consider new ways to incorporate ESG into dealmaking.
Market sentiment and the increasing importance of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) to firms’ competitiveness across the...more
10/7/2021
/ Climate Change ,
Consultation ,
Corporate Governance ,
Corporate Social Responsibility ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Due Diligence ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
EU ,
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) ,
Financial Reporting ,
General Partnerships ,
Limited Partnerships ,
Private Equity ,
Private Equity Funds ,
Publicly-Traded Companies ,
SFDR ,
Sustainable Business Practices ,
UK