Overview
- The adopted amendments raise company thresholds from 1,000 employees and €450 million in turnover to 5,000 employees and €1.5 billion.
- MEPs also backed provisions for milder sanctions, narrowing the law’s bite compared with the earlier plan.
- The majority was formed by the center-right EPP together with right-conservative and far-right groups including ECR, PfE, RN and ESN, which includes the AfD.
- EPP leader Manfred Weber defended the vote as an effort to cut bureaucracy and said AfD votes were not decisive, drawing sharp criticism from Social Democrats and other left-leaning parties.
- The Parliament’s position now moves into trilogue negotiations with the Council and Commission, with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz signaling hope for a centrist majority on a final compromise.