On 24 October 2016, the second session of the Open-ended Intergovernmental Working Group on Transnational Corporations and other Business Enterprises (IGWG) opened at the UN in Geneva. The Working Group was established in 2014 by Human Rights Council Resolution 26/9 with the mandate to “elaborate an international legally binding instrument to regulate, in international human rights law, the activities of transnational corporations and other business enterprises.”
The Treaty Alliance, of which IBFAN and IBFAN-GIFA are members, is an alliance of committed networks and campaign groups around the world who collectively help organise advocacy activities in support of developing such a binding international instrument. It issued a statement on the occasion of the 2nd session of the IGWG.
- Read the Treaty Alliance 2016 statement issued for the 2nd session of the IGWG (available in EN-ES-FR-PT)
- Read the Treaty Alliance 2016 statement on corporate capture
- Read the Treaty Alliance 2015 statement on enhancing the international legal framework to protect human rights from corporate abuse
In addition, CIDSE, Friends of the Earth Europe, Brot für die Welt, SOMO and IBFAN have submitted a joint written contribution which focuses on three core elements of a future treaty: 1) adequate access to remedy; 2) effective enforcement mechanisms; and 3) provisions related to the trade and investment regime.
- Read the joint CIDSE/Friends of the Earth Europe/Brot für die Welt/SOMO/IBFAN submission to the OEIGWG for their 2nd session
The written submission was supported by a series of oral statements:
- Oral statement on Panel I: Overview of the social, economic and environmental impacts related to transnational corporations and human rights, and their legal challenges
- Oral statement on Panel III subtheme I: Examples of international instruments addressing obligations and responsibilities of private actors (drafted by IBFAN and focusing on the Code)
- Oral statement on Panel IV: Open debate on different approaches and criteria for the future definition of the scope of the international legally binding instrument
- Oral statement on Panel V: Strengthening cooperation with regard to prevention, remedy and accountability and access to justice at the national and international levels
- Oral statement on Panel VI: Lessons learned and challenges to access to remedy (selected cases from different sectors and regions)
Day summaries of the discussions (by the European Colaition for Corporate Justice):