Ms Evie Clarke:

As the Deputy recognised, our recognition of the limitation of the requirement to do due diligence to first-tier suppliers is what I mean, mostly, when I speak about detecting the risks and letting them go unnoticed. What we want is a return to the CSDDD and the risk-based approach which was included in that. This would ensure that risks throughout supply chain tiers are detected in the first place. Crucially, it would mean that a harmonised civil liability regime would be 100% necessary to ensure companies are held to account. There are reams of evidence to show that without civil liability and effective enforcement mechanisms, these types of abuses will continue to exist and obligations will continue to be seen as voluntary and have no teeth.