International: work on the development of binding international standards for multinational enterprises and human rights to start in 2015

The resolution adopted on June 26 by the UN’s Human Rights Council provides for the introduction of an Intergovernmental Working Group in 2015 to negotiate legally binding instrument on Transnational Corporations and Human Rights. In line with the UN’s Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights of 2011, the idea would be to guarantee access to justice for the victims of human rights violations committed by multinationals.
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Presented by Ecuador and South Africa, the resolution was voted by 20 votes for, 14 against (including the delegation representing the EU) and 13 abstentions. It defines a clear working schedule for the working group:





  • The first two sessions will be dedicated to conducting constructive deliberations on the content, scope, nature and form of the future international instrument.

  • Elements for the draft legally binding instrument for substantive negotiations will have to be ready at the commen
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