This week the United Nations...revived talks on a long-awaited Arms Trade Treaty. While Denmark has been a staunch supporter of the treaty from the start, Denmark’s Minster of Foreign Affairs, Villy Søvndal, acknowledges that the treaty lacks any reference to the role of industry in the arms trade. As a result, the Danish government is developing a Voluntary Code of Conduct for Danish transportation companies, a unique initiative that will help address the private sector gap and prevent potential adverse human rights impacts by Danish shipping companies operating in the arms trade...The code represents an important contribution to the implementation of the state “Duty to Protect” human rights as defined by the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights...