The EU has agreed two sweeping environmental laws despite warnings they would disrupt trade, damage competitiveness and alienate developing countries. One piece of legislation agreed on Friday will hold companies liable for human rights and environmental abuses in their supply chains, including in China’s Xinjiang region, where Beijing is accused of forced labour. The other law, also approved on Friday, imposes conditions on imports of recycled plastic for packaging.
The China Chamber of Commerce to the EU said it was “particularly worried about the increased bureaucracy and the unbalanced, disproportionate and ambiguous obligations imposed on businesses” by the supply chain law. It also warned of “possible trade disruptions and cost increases due to overly stringent packaging requirements” and urged the EU to stick to World Trade Organization rules and refrain from “erecting market barriers that hinder non-EU producers”.
China has been accused of human rights abuses in Xinjiang including the use of forced labour and large-scale detentions of members of the mainly Muslim Uyghur minority. Beijing denies the allegations, saying its policies in the region are aimed at promoting development and countering terrorism.