NGO urges stronger human rights rules for EU procurement

STOCKHOLM - The effectiveness of the proposed EU Public Procurement Act and its impact on workers and communities in public-sector supply chains will ultimately depend on whether human rights and environmental due diligence is firmly embedded in the final legislation, a European NGO has warned.

Swedwatch, the Swedish non-profit focused on business relations in developing countries, says that while the European Commission’s draft legislation improves supply-chain transparency in principle, it does not guarantee access to detailed information on working conditions, community impacts, or how suppliers manage human rights risks.