HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL
11th session
02 June – 18 June 2009
[Excerpt from the statement]
Last year we noted an important conceptual evolution in the approach of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Mr. John Ruggie, insofar as he admitted that the activities of transnational corporations (TNCs) could affect all internationally recognized human rights, and that they must submit to international law. He thus relativized the value and scope of the voluntary codes of conduct whose merits he had praised in the past. In last year’s report, the Special Representative also noted that existing resources and certain measures taken by several governments were insufficient, imperfect or limited, and far from being up to the challenge. He rightly stressed that States had an obligation to protect their citizens against any infringement of their human rights by third parties, including the business community.