TRAFFIC Public Statement on the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence

As the Directive is currently being debated in the European Parliament and by Member States, and as the Commission is consulting with stakeholders on its proposal, TRAFFIC would like to highlight the importance of this outstanding opportunity to address the negative impacts of certain business practices on wildlife and human rights. [...] We warmly welcome that the proposed Directive refers to the obligations under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). [...] However, we strongly encourage the EU to also directly refer in the Directive to respecting the criteria and obligations under relevant EU legislation and policies, such as the EU Wildlife Trade Regulations (which implement CITES in the EU, but which go further in many respects) and the revised Environmental Crime Directive (the adoption of which is also in progress). [...] Our experience confirms the importance of ensuring the legality and sustainability of the use of natural resources and the prevention of adverse environmental impacts throughout the entire value chain, from the source to the consumer. [...] We encourage the European Parliament and the Member States to support solid and ambitious legal text to eliminate the negative impacts of certain business practices on wildlife and human rights.