Macron and Merz call for the abolition of the CSDDD

French President Emmanuel Macron , together with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz , has called for the abolition of the CSDDD (Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive), the regulation that requires companies to monitor the impact of their activities on human rights and the environment along the value chain, introduced by the EU to ensure greater corporate responsibility.

Following the wave of derogation on sustainability that is moving globally, during the Choose France International Business Summit , Macron presented the cancellation of the CSDDD as part of a strategy to reduce regulatory burdens and improve the competitiveness of European companies compared to those of the United States and China . The directive, adopted in May 2024 , has already undergone significant changes, including raising the application threshold from 500 to 1,000 employees , thus excluding around 80% of the companies initially affected.

Under the Omnibus process launched by the European Commission in February 2025, the implementation of the CSDDD has been postponed to 2028 , with further proposed changes, including reducing the monitoring frequency from annual to every five years and limiting the information required from small businesses.

Macron made it clear that his position is not just about simplifying the regulation, but about eliminating it entirely. His statement follows that of Merz, who had already called for the total cancellation of the directive during a visit to Brussels.

The move represents an escalation in the EU's push towards pro-business deregulation, which increasingly raises questions about the future of Europe's sustainability and human rights policies.