By Matt Mace
Copyright edie
As the European Union (EU) gears up for reporting rollbacks as part of an Omnibus Simplification Package in October, a new survey of more than 10,000 European citizens has shown fresh support for heightened reporting and sustainability transparency.
The EU is expected to decide on limits on the scope and provisions of key reporting frameworks in the coming weeks, including the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), passed last year.
The CSDDD will mandate enhanced human rights and environmental due diligence requirements for large EU and non-EU companies operating in the EU, but the scope of what companies would fall under the remit is set to be lessened.
As the bloc approaches a decision, a survey of 10,861 people – commissioned jointly by Amnesty International and Global Witness – has found that the majority of the public support the protections introduced by CSDDD, compared to just 9% opposing them.
More than half (53%) of EU citizens believe it is now imperative that the EU uphold environmental and social laws, given the rollbacks experienced in the US. In total, 75% believe it is important that the EU upholds environmental laws.
The poll, which surveyed citizens across Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Spain, and Sweden, also has a focus on business. It found that 75% believe companies should be held accountable for human rights, rising to 77% for environmental harm across value chains.
Global Witness EU Senior Campaigner Beate Beller said: “Europeans are sending Brussels a powerful message of support for urgent climate action and the protection of human rights. The European Union must honour its commitments and resist lobbyists trying to force a race to the bottom.
“Companies have a critical responsibility to drastically reduce their emissions, and they must be obliged to take action to address the climate crisis now.”
The survey also examined any cross-pollination between the current cost-of-living crisis and the perceived spending impacts of a green transition. It found that 87% of people in the EU have experienced an increased cost of living in the past 12 months. However, just 13% of people experiencing cost rises attribute it to climate policies.
Streamlined reporting
The European Commission wants to ‘streamline’ two of its flagship sustainability reporting mandates, under ‘Omnibus’ proposals that will impact how tens of thousands of businesses prepare.
The Omnibus proposals were released on 26 February 2025, following months of speculation and a string of much-criticised closed-door meetings. They are part of the EU’s plan to reduce reporting obligations by 25% for large private firms and 35% for SMEs. Alongside CSDDD, the Omnibus looks set to lessen requirements under the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD).
Earlier this week, a new YouGov survey of more than 2,500 European business leaders, commissioned by the think tank E3G, found that most organisations are in favour of stringent reporting requirements.
