Quo Vadis EU?

How the UN Treaty process can build on European development in the area of business and human rights
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EU flag
EU flag
Discussion
Room XXIII, Palais des Nations, UN Geneva

Together with EU representatives, representatives of EU member states, legal experts, civil society and the private sector, we would like to discuss the links between current policies at EU and EU member state level and the proposals in the Revised Draft and engage in a constructive discussion on content and way forward for an ambitious treaty on business and human rights.

The Revised Draft builds on international standards in the area of Business and Human Rights like the UN Guiding Principles on Business and the Human Rights General Comment 24 of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. It reflects recent developments in Europe, like the French law on duty of vigilance, and initiatives for a national law on due diligence in Switzerland, Germany, Finland and Denmark. European institutions, UN bodies and other international organizations have repeatedly acknowledged the need for binding regulation to ensure business liability for human rights abuses and to improve access to justice for victims of corporate-related human rights abuses. As the various national initiatives increase the pressure for harmonization on EU level, the Finish (2019) and German (2020) presidency of the Council of the EU for have put an EU wide regulation on their agenda.

We therefore invite representatives from UN member states, parliamentarians, civil society organizations and representatives of the private sector to jointly discuss how the future treaty can fill the gap and complement current initiatives in the European Union.

Speakers include:

  • Christopher Patz, Policy Officer, European Coalition for Corporate Justice
  • Guus Houttuin, Senior Adviser Trade Issues and MSG Chair, European External Action Service
  • Alva Bruun, Senior Adviser Human Rights, Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland
  • Jan-Christian Niebank, Researcher and Policy Adviser, German Institute for Human Rights
  • Susanne Stormer, Vice President, Sustainability Management & Reporting, Novo Nordisk
  • Manon Aubry, Member of Committee on Legal Affairs, European Parliament

Facilitator: Karolin Seitz, Programme Officer, Global Policy Forum

This event is jointly organized by member organizations of the Treaty Alliance Germany: Attac Germany, Brot für die Welt, BUND/Friends of the Earth Germany, Global Policy Forum, medico international, and MISEREOR. It is co-organized by Rosa-Luxemburg-Stiftung, European Coalition for Corporate Justice (ECCJ), International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), Friends of the Earth Europe, NOAH/Friends of the Earth Denmark and SOMO.

 

Download the invitation here .