AENEAS, the new European project co-ordinated by the Sant'Anna School and focusing on the European Due Diligence in Global Value Chains, is launched. The scientific objectives and the partner institutions
The initiative is operating within the framework of the European Jean Monnet Programme and focuses on the fields of Criminal Law, Business and Human Rights and Social Sciences
Aeneas (an acronym for European Due Diligence Law in Global Value Chains), the new project dedicated to Due Diligence (the investigation and in-depth study of data and information on the subject of a negotiation) in global value chains, is about to start. It is financed by the Jean Monnet European programme and coordinated by the Sant'Anna School, with Giuseppe di Vetta, assistant professor in Criminal Law at the Dirpolis Institute (Law, Politics, Development), as principal investigator.
The project stems from the growing awareness of the responsibility of transnational corporations for the negative impacts on human rights and the environment resulting from their global operations and aims to develop a conceptual and operational framework for European due diligence law in the context of global value chains. As voluntary standards adopted by companies failed to effectively address this problem, the European legislator intervened with the enactment of the EU Directive 2024/1760 on business due diligence for sustainability. Aeneas intends to support its objectives by providing educational and training tools, in particular through courses, seminars, workshops, summer schools and an international conference, as well as the corresponding scientific production.
The main objectives include creating a theoretical understanding of European due diligence law; the practical implementation of these standards in European companies; supporting the implementation process of the directive in the various European countries; and promoting the role of the European Union as a global leader in sustainability and human rights protection. The project involves academic experts (in addition to the Sant'Anna School, in alphabetical order, British Institute of International and Comparative Law, Luiss, Tilburg University, Universidad de Castilla-la Mancha, Università degli Studi Suor Orsola Benincasa,), practitioners, companies and industry associations (Eni, Assonime, Confindustria) to ensure a significant impact on legislation and business practice.
