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Press release - Proposed EU law will not keep conflict resources out of Europe, campaigners warn
10 March, by
A law proposed by the European Commission on responsible sourcing of minerals is not strong enough to prevent European companies’ mineral purchases from financing conflict or human rights abuses, and falls far short of expectations, campaigners said today.
Instead of putting forward robust legislation that would require a wide range of EU-based companies to do checks on their supply chains – known as due diligence – the Commission today announced voluntary measures that will only apply to companies importing processed and unprocessed minerals into the European market. The proposal covers (...)
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Dutch National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights
5 March, by
When dealing with the issue of human rights abuses related to businesses, we are often faced with the question where the responsibility of the state ends and that of a corporation begins. This dilemma has stimulated a critical debate that, after a long period of preparation, led in 2011 to agreements being made by the international community in the form of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs). These guidelines present an outline of the state’s obligations, i.e. the ‘duty to protect’, and of corporate responsibilities, namely the ‘responsibility to respect’. The UNGPs (...)
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Press release - Companies required to report on environmental and social impacts - compromise reached on EU reform
26 February, byBrussels, 26 February, 2014 – A last minute compromise deal between EU Member States and the European Parliament negotiators means that listed companies will for the first time be required to report on key human rights and environmental issues, including within the supply chain [1] , if the law is adopted later by the Parliament’s plenary and the Council.
The compromise has been welcomed as a timid step forward by the European Coalition for Corporate Justice (ECCJ) – a broad coalition representing NGOs, consumer groups, trade unions and academics, who have been urging legislative reform (...)
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Access to Justice Project continued: “Civil justice in the Context of Transnational Business Activities & Human Rights”
27 January, by
Victims of corporate human rights abuses often find that access to justice in their country is limited due to corruption, low standards of legal protection, lengthy trials, or lack of enforcement. However, many practical and legal problems remain and litigants face difficulties accessing justice. The EU and its Member States have committed to implement the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) [link], which affirm that States should ensure the effectiveness of their judicial mechanisms when addressing business-related human rights abuses. This includes considering (...)
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