Brussels (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Eight Non Governmental Organizations submitted an official complaint with the European commission’s Ombudsman about the Commission’s quick and rushed secretive procedures of Omnibus plan that lacked democratic processes.
A group of 8 notable Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) presented their complaint to the European Ombudsman about how the Commission quickly developed the Omnibus plan using unclear methods and without democratic procedures.
The NGO accused the EU executive of damaging sustainability laws while neglecting both effect evaluations and public participation. The non-governmental organizations contended that the procedure favored industrial interests at the expense of public involvement and did not sufficiently address environmental and social impact assessments.
The coalition of NGOs claims that the procedure resulting in this proposal was fundamentally flawed, enabling a small number of industry participants to exert control and advocate for the loosening of vital environmental regulations.
What is the omnibus proposal put forward by the European Commission?
The Omnibus plan was introduced by the European Commission in February 2025. The plan aimed at excluding many little European industries from the European Union sustainability reporting rules, and making it less important for the bigger industries to check their supply chain if they are following human rights and environmental standards.
The Omnibus proposal works to diminish fundamental EU sustainability regulations which recently achieved passage particularly through the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) and the EU Taxonomy Regulation.
Media reports stated that the Commission organized a private event with prominent oil corporations Eni, ExxonMobil, TotalEnergies and industry representatives to talk about Omnibus before its publication. The list of advocacy organizations also comprises the World Wildlife Fund and Human Rights Watch in addition to other entities.
Which 8 NGOs prosecuted the European Commission regarding the Omnibus plan?
These 8 Non Governmental Organizations (NGO) submitted a joint complaint against the European commission ‘Omnibus’ Proposal including:
- Anti-Slavery International
- Clean Clothes Campaign
- ClientEarth
- European Coalition for Corporate Justice
- Friends of the Earth Europe
- Global Witness
- Notre Affaire À Tous
- Transport and Environment (T&E)
What are the concerns of NGOs?
The group of 8 NGOs including Anti-Slavery International, Clean Clothes Campaign, ClientEarth, European Coalition for Corporate Justice, Friends of the Earth Europe, Global Witness, Notre Affaire À Tous, Transport and Environment (T&E), said that “We are opposing the Commission’s rushed smashing of three fundamental pillars of the Green Deal, which includes laws that are meant to improve the environmental and human impacts of global trade.” They said, “This process completely disregarded the rights of people and nature.”
“The Omnibus plan was devised without any public participation, with little evidence or environmental and social impact evaluations, and a major focus on limited industrial interests. This careless decision not only undermines sustainability laws, but also decreases public faith in the EU’s democratic principles,”
The NGOs said.
NGOs warn that in addition to being incompatible with the EU’s fundamental democratic ideals and environmental aims, The ‘Omnibus’ might jeopardize the EU’s economic stability and the competitiveness goals.
The group of 8 NGOs said that “The European Commission is disregarding both evidence and science; this so-called simplification does not improve competitiveness. Robust sustainability regulations such as the CSDDD and CSRD are crucial for the EU to maintain its competitive edge in a global market where both consumers and investors are demanding more accountable corporate behavior. History has shown us that ambiguous corporate commitments fail to initiate the necessary changes. Easing standards on environmental and human rights issues represents a regression.”
What are the key allegations NGOs have made against the EU Commission?
The NGOs specifically accuse the Commission of:
1. Not adequately collecting evidence and evaluating the environmental and social consequences of changes to corporate laws intended to safeguard citizens in the EU and elsewhere;
2. Avoiding extensive consultations in favor of private meetings prioritizing the interests of the oil and gas industry (the details of which only came to light through media leaks);
3. Neglecting to determine whether its proposal is in line with the EU’s climate neutrality goal– violating its responsibilities under the European Climate Law.
What is the response of the EU Commission to NGO’s Complaints?
According to the media reports, the Spokesperson of the European Commission did not give any response immediately to a request for comment on these complaints filed by the group of notable 8 Non Governmental Organizations.
