Article 20 › 5

Without prejudice to Articles 25, 26 and 29, companies may use independent third-party verification on and from companies in their chains of activities to support the implementation of due diligence obligations to the extent that such verification is appropriate to support the fulfilment of the relevant obligations. Independent third-party verification may be carried out by other companies or by an industry or multi-stakeholder initiative. Independent third-party verifiers shall act with objectivity and complete independence from the company, be free from any conflicts of interest, remain free from external influence, whether direct or indirect, and shall refrain from any action incompatible with their independence. Depending on the nature of the adverse impact, they shall have experience and competence in environmental or human rights matters and shall be accountable for the quality and reliability of the verification they carry out. The Commission, in collaboration with Member States, shall issue guidance setting out fitness criteria and a methodology for companies to assess the fitness of third-party verifiers, and guidance for monitoring the accuracy, effectiveness and integrity of third-party verification.

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Source: EUR-Lex CELLAR · retrieved 2026-08-27