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A Neatly Engineered Stalemate: A Review of the Sixth Session of Negotiations on a Treaty on Business and Human Rights

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 June 2021

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Extract

The sixth session of the United Nations (UN) open-ended intergovernmental working group (IGWG) tasked with ‘elaborating an international legally binding instrument to regulate, in international human rights law, the activities of transnational corporations and other business enterprises’1 (BHR Treaty) took place virtually during 26–30 October 2020.2

Keywords

businesscorporate accountabilityhuman rightstreatyUnited Nations
Type
Developments in the Field
Information
Business and Human Rights Journal , Volume 6 , Issue 2: Special Issue: BHR Landscape after 10 years of the UNGPs: An Assessment , June 2021 , pp. 384 - 391
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press

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Footnotes

Conflicts of interest: The author declares none.

*

Legal Director at the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), Montreal, Canada. This piece does not necessarily reflect the views of the ITF. I wish to thank Helen Breese of the ITF for her helpful feedback on an earlier draft.

References

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2 Human Rights Council, ‘Sixth Session of the IGWG’, https://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/HRC/WGTransCorp/Session6/Pages/Session6.aspx (accessed 30 March 2021).

3 International Transport Workers’ Federation, ‘Racial Justice is Union Business, ITF Stands Committed to the Struggle’, itfglobal.org (3 June 2020), https://www.itfglobal.org/en/news/racial-justice-union-business-itf-stands-committed-struggle (accessed 30 March 2021)Google Scholar.

4 Ruwan Subasinghe and Helen Breese, ‘COVID and the Corporate Duty to Respect Human Rights: It’s Time for the Business Community to Step Up’, Cambridge Core Blog (8 April 2020), https://www.cambridge.or/or/lo/02///ovid-19-and-the-corporate-duty-to-respect-human-rights-its-time-for-the-business-community-to-step-up/ (accessed 30 March 2021)Google Scholar.

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17 OHCHR, ‘IGWG Chairmanship Revised Draft, Legally Binding Instrument to Regulate, in International Human Rights Law, the Activities of Transnational Corporations and Other Business Enterprises’ (16 July 2019), https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/HRBodies/HRCouncil/WGTransCorp/OEIGWG_RevisedDraft_LBI.pdf (accessed 30 March 2021)Google Scholar.

18 International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), ‘Joint Trade Union Statement on a Legally Binding Instrument to Regulate, in International Human Rights Law, the Activities of Transnational Corporations and other Business Enterprises (11 October 2019), https://www.ituc-csi.org/joint-trade-union-statement-on-a (accessed 30 March 2021)Google Scholar.

19 Note verbale from the Permanent Mission of Ecuador to the United Nations, by the IGWG Chairmanship regarding the release of the revised draft legally binding instrument, Note 4-7-156/2019 (16 July 2019), https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/HRBodies/HRCouncil/WGTransCorp/NV_Ecuador_RevisedDraft_LBI.pdf (accessed 30 March 2021).

20 Human Rights Council, ‘Report on the Fifth Session of the Open-Ended Intergovernmental Working Group on Transnational Corporations and other Business Enterprises with Respect to Human Rights’, A/HRC/43/55 (19 January 2020), para 12, https://ap.ohchr.org/documents/dpage_e.aspx?si=A/HRC/43/55 (accessed 30 March 2021)Google Scholar.

21 Ibid, para 18.

22 Ibid, para 15.

23 Ibid, para 70.

24 Ibid, paras 24, 25 and 35.

25 Ibid, para 10.

26 Sahan, Makbule and Subasinghe, Ruwan, ‘Ending Corporate Impunity is at the Heart of a Sustainable Post-Pandemic Recovery – That’s Why We Need a Strong Binding Treaty’, Equal Times (10 October 2020), https://www.equaltimes.org/ending-corporate-impunity-is-at#.YE_maZ1JHD4 (accessed 30 March 2021)Google Scholar.

27 Ibid.

28 Ibid.

29 Ibid.

30 ITUC, ‘Joint Trade Union Statement’, note 18.

31 ITUC, ‘Trade Union Comments: Legally Binding Instrument to Regulate, in International Human Rights Law, the Activities of Transnational Corporations and other Business Enterprises’ (8 October 2020), https://www.ituc-csi.org/legally-binding-instrument (accessed 30 March 2021)Google Scholar.

32 US Mission to International Organizations in Geneva, ‘U.S. Government’s Opposition to the Business and Human Rights Treaty Process’ (26 October 2020), https://geneva.usmission.gov/2020/10/26/the-u-s-governments-opposition-to-the-business-and-human-rights-treaty-process/ (accessed 30 March 2021)Google Scholar.

33 UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, ‘6th Session of the Open Ended Inter Governmental Working Group in-charge of the Elaboration of an International Legally Binding Instrument on Transnational Corporations and other Business Enterprises, with Respect to Human Rights: Opening Statement by Michelle Bachelet, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights’ (26 October 2020), https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=26417&LangID=E (accessed 30 March 2021)Google Scholar.

34 Ibid.

35 Ibid.

36 Human Rights Council, ‘Elaboration of an International Legally Binding Instrument on Transnational Corporations and other Business Enterprises with Respect to Human Rights’, A/HRC/RES/26/9 (14 July 2014)Google Scholar.

37 ‘Text of China’s Statement’, https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/HRBodies/HRCouncil/WGTransCorp/Session6/GeneralStatements/States/China_General_Statements_Preamble_Article1_and_2.doc (accessed 30 March 2021).

38 ‘General Statement by India under Agenda Item 4 at the 6th Meeting of the Open-Ended Intergovernmental Working Group for the elaboration of an International Legally Binding Instrument on Transnational Corporations and other Business Enterprises with respect to Human Rights, by Mr Animesh Choudhury, First Secretary’ (26 October 2020), https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/HRBodies/HRCouncil/WGTransCorp/Session6/GeneralStatements/States/India_General_statement.doc (accessed 30 March 2021).

39 Ibid.

40 European Coalition for Corporate Justice, ‘UN Treaty on Business & Human Rights negotiations Day 1 – the round of discussions kicks off with an improved draft’ (15 October 2019), https://corporatejustice.org/news/16786-un-treaty-on-business-human-rights-negotiations-day-1-the-round-of-discussions-kicks-off-with-an-improved-draft-text (accessed 4 April 2021)Google Scholar.

41 European Parliament, ‘Regarding: The EU must Adopt a Negotiation Mandate to Participate in the UN Negotiations for a Binding Treaty on Business and Human Rights’ (16 July 2020), https://www.business-humanrights.org/documents/4912/2020-07-20_-_EU_Parliament_-_Letter_requesting_a_negociation_mandate.pdf (accessed 30 March 2021)Google Scholar.

42 See, e.g., social media campaign on Twitter: #WhereIstheEU.

43 European Union, ‘Open-ended intergovernmental working group on transnational corporations and other business enterprises with respect to human rights 6th Session’ (26 October 2020), https://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/HRC/WGTransCorp/Session6/Pages/Session6.aspx (accessed 31 March 2021)Google Scholar.

44 ‘UN Human Rights Council 6th Session of the Open-Ended Intergovernmental Working Group on Transnational Corporations and other Business Enterprises with respect to Human Rights: Statement by the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland’ (26 October 2020), https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/HRBodies/HRCouncil/WGTransCorp/Session6/GeneralStatements/States/UK_general_statement.docx (accessed 30 March 2021).

45 Ibid.

46 ‘Sixieme Session Du Groupe De Travail Intergouvernemental A Composition Non Limitee Sur Les Societes Transnationales Et Autres Entreprises Et Les Droits De L’homme’ (26–30 October 2020) on arts 5, 6 and 7’, https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/HRBodies/HRCouncil/WGTransCorp/Session6/Articles5_6_7/States/France_art%206.docx (accessed 30 March 2021).

47 ‘OEIGWG on TNCs and OBEs – 6th session (ITEM 4) Part I – GENERAL STATEMENT by Brazil, National Capacity’ (26 October 2020), https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/HRBodies/HRCouncil/WGTransCorp/Session6/GeneralStatements/States/Brazil_General_statement.docx (accessed 30 March 2021).

48 ‘Text of the Russian Federations’ Statement’, https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/HRBodies/HRCouncil/WGTransCorp/Session6/GeneralStatements/States/Russia_Article%201_%d0%92%d1%8b%d1%81%d1%82%d1%83%d0%bf%d0%bb%d0%b5%d0%bd%d0%b8%d0%b5%20%d0%bf%d0%be%20%d0%a1%d1%82%d0%b0%d1%82%d1%8c%d0%b5.docx (accessed 30 March 2021).

49 ‘Text of Egypt’s Statement during the Sixth Session’, https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/HRBodies/HRCouncil/WGTransCorp/Session6/GeneralStatements/States/Egypt_general_statement.docx (accessed 30 March 2021).

50 ‘Text of Senegal’s Statement during the Sixth Session’, https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/HRBodies/HRCouncil/WGTransCorp/Session6/GeneralStatements/States/Senegal_general_statement.docx (accessed 30 March 2021).

51 ‘Text of the ICC’s Statement during the Sixth Session’, https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/HRBodies/HRCouncil/WGTransCorp/Session6/GeneralStatements/InterGovOrgs/ICC_General_statement.docx (accessed 30 March 2021).

52 ‘Text of the IOE’s Statement during the Sixth Session’, https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/HRBodies/HRCouncil/WGTransCorp/Session6/GeneralStatements/NGOs/IOE_General_Statement.docx (accessed 30 March 2021).

53 ‘Texts of the ITUC’s Statement during the Sixth Session’, https://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/HRC/WGTransCorp/Session6/Pages/Session6.aspx (accessed 30 March 2021).

54 Human Rights Council, ‘Report on the Sixth Session of the Open-Ended Intergovernmental Working Group on Transnational Corporations and other Business Enterprises with Respect to Human Rights’, A/HRC/46/73 (14 January 2021)Google Scholar.

55 Ibid.

56 Investor Alliance for Human Rights, ‘The Investor Case for Mandatory Human Rights Due Diligence’, https://investorsforhumanrights.org/sites/default/files/attachments/2019-12/The%20Investor%20Case%20for%20mHRDD%20-%20FINAL%20for%2011.25%20launch.pdf (accessed 30 March 2021).

57 European Brands Association, ‘EU Mandatory Human Rights Due Diligence: AIM Contribution to the Debate’ (February 2021), https://www.aim.be/news/aim-launches-its-contribution-to-the-mandatory-human-rights-due-diligence-debate/ (accessed 30 March 2021)Google Scholar.

58 ITUC, ‘ITU Global Poll 2020 Shows Urgent Need to Repair the Social Contract’ (11 September 2020), https://www.ituc-csi.org/global-poll-2020-social-contract (accessed 30 March 2021)Google Scholar.

59 Claire Methven O’Brien, ‘Transcending the Binary: Linking Hard and Soft Law Through a UNGPs-Based Framework Convention’ (2020) 114 American Journal of International Law Unbound 186, 186–191 Google Scholar.