abusesaffiliationarrow-downarrow-leftarrow-rightarrow-upattack-typeburgerchevron-downchevron-leftchevron-rightchevron-upClock iconclosedeletedevelopment-povertydiscriminationdollardownloademailenvironmentexternal-linkfacebookfiltergenderglobegroupshealthC4067174-3DD9-4B9E-AD64-284FDAAE6338@1xinformation-outlineinformationinstagraminvestment-trade-globalisationissueslabourlanguagesShapeCombined Shapeline, chart, up, arrow, graphLinkedInlocationmap-pinminusnewsorganisationotheroverviewpluspreviewArtboard 185profilerefreshIconnewssearchsecurityPathStock downStock steadyStock uptagticktooltiptwitteruniversalityweb
Article

17 Nov 2017

Author:
European Coalition for Corporate Justice

New brief calls on EU to adopt mandatory corporate human rights due diligence legislation

"The EU competence and duty to regulate corporate responsibility to respect Human Rights through mandatory Human Rights Due Diligence", November 2017

The protection of human rights from corporate abuse is one of today’s most complex and pivotal challenges... Human Rights Due Diligence (HRDD) [...] is one of the core elements of the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs). It is a crucial concept both in relation to the corporate responsibility to respect human rights (Pillar II) and to the State duty to protect them (Pillar I)... As pointed out by the European Commission in its Staff working document on implementing the UNGPs, in the EU context, Member States and EU institutions share the duties embedded in the UNGPs on the basis of their respective competences... It has a treaty obligation to act, the competence to legislate, as well as the increasing support of Member States and EU institutions to do so. By utilising the power and competence to ensure the proper functioning of the internal market (art. 114 in combination with art. 50 TFEU) the European Union can and should make Human Rights Due Diligence part of European company law.