A coalition of eight non-governmental organisations (NGOs) has lodged a complaint with the European Ombudsman about the way the European Commission has developed the Omnibus Simplification Package proposal published on February 26, 2025.

ClientEarth, Anti-Slavery International, Clean Clothes Campaign, European Coalition for Corporate Justice, Friends of the Earth Europe, Global Witness, Notre Affaire À Tous and T&E allege that the proposal is undemocratic, untransparent and rushed.

They have called on the European Parliament and Council to reject the Omnibus proposal.

The coalition argues that the proposal seeks to dilute EU sustainability laws, including the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) and EU Taxonomy Regulation.

“We are contesting the Commission’s rushed dismantling of three key pillars of the Green Deal – including laws meant to improve the environmental and human impacts of global trade – a process that completely disregards people and nature’s rights,” commented a spokesperson for the coalition of NGOs.

“The Omnibus proposal was made without any public consultation, sidelining civil society, with a lack of evidence or environmental and social impact assessments, and with a primary focus on narrow industry interests. This reckless move not only weakens sustainability rules but also damages public trust in the EU’s democratic foundations,” they continued.

The NGOs accuse the European Commission of failing to properly gather evidence and assess the environmental and social impacts of amending corporate laws designed to protect citizens in the EU and beyond.

They also suggest that consultations were side-stepped in favour of meetings behind closed doors dominated by oil and gas industry interests.

The coalition alleges that failing to assess whether the Omnibus proposal aligns with the EU’s climate-neutrality target is in breach of obligations under the European Climate Law.

It also warns that the Omnibus could also undermine the EU’s economic stability and competitiveness objectives, which it is supposed to help.

“This so-called simplification does nothing to enhance competitiveness, the European Commission is ignoring both evidence and science,” added the coalition.

“Strong sustainability laws like the CSDDD and CSRD are key to the EU’s competitive advantage in a global market where consumers and investors increasingly demand responsible corporate action.We have seen time and time again that vague corporate promises aren’t driving the change we need. Weakening environmental and human rights requirements is a step in the wrong direction,” they continued.

Ami Taylor, CEO of Goodwork Sustainability UK Ltd, added: “With all the uncertainty surrounding Omnibus, it’s easy to see why some companies might feel justified in pushing sustainability reporting down the priority list – especially if they’ve been treating it as a tick box exercise. But that would be a short-sighted move.

“This legal action is a clear reminder that regulatory frameworks are still in flux. Businesses that embed sustainability into their core purpose – not as an add-on, but as a guiding principle – will be far better placed to navigate change and build long-term resilience.”