Transnational corporations (TNCs) commit crimes, violate human rights and destroy the environment with complete impunity. National legislations are ineffective in dealing with business enterprises that carry out their activities across borders and operate through intermediaries to avoid any legal liability. Most states are powerless confronted with entities that are often richer and more powerful than they are.
TNCs’ interests are protected at the international level by a multitude of investment treaties.
Only binding norms at the international level can end with impunity
Support our campaign at the United Nations
- to stop the impunity of TNCs
- to ensure TNCs respect human rights, the environment and the rights of workers, including when operating abroad
- to improve access to justice for victims and affected communities
- to better protect trade unions, peasants and local communities
The CETIM has long had a firm commitment to the adoption of binding international norms on transnational corporations (TNCs) to end impunity for the human rights violations that they commit. He is currently one of the leader of the campaign at the Human Rights Council, together with the Global Campaign to Dismantle Corporate Power and Stop Impunity (Global Campaign), an international network comprising over 200 social movements, peasants organizations, trade unions and representatives of affected communities from all around the world.
In June 2014, the Human Rights Council adopted by vote (20 Yes, 14 No and 13 Abs) a resolution presented by Ecuador and South Africa that created an intergovernmental working group mandated with the drafting of a legally binding instrument to regulate, within the framework of international human rights law, the activities of transnational corporations (TNCs) and other business enterprises.
It was a historic decision, coming after decades of discussions and fruitless attempts at the United Nations. It was to a large extent the result of the strong mobilization of social movements, in particular the CETIM, the Global Campaign and other organizations participating in the Treaty Alliance.
This initiative of the Human Rights Council can contribute to end the impunity of TNCs for the human rights violations committed, in particular in the Global South, and therefore improve in the long term and at the global level the protection and respect for human rights.
After having contributed to the opening of intergovernmental negotiations, the CETIM is now working together with the Global Campaign so that social movements, organizations, trade unions and representatives of affected communities in the Global South, are be able to participate in the intergovernmental working group and make their voices and proposals heard.
The 1st session of the working group was held in July 2015. Click here to read the summary. And to read the proposals submitted by the Global Campaign to the working group, it is here.
The 2nd session of the working group was held in October 2016. Read the summary here. Demonstrations were organized outside the Palais des Nations. Find a short article here. And discover the new proposals submitted by the Campaign here.
The 3rd session took place in October 2017. You can read the summary of this session here. During this session, the Global Campaign presented its own draft treaty to influence the negotiations in the Working Group. A mine of information, reflection and proposals, this document can be used by activists as well as public and elected authorities who fight against the impunity of TNCs.
The 4th session took place in October 2018. You can read a summary here. The Presidency of the Working group presented a first draft Convention. The Global Campaign submitted comments and concrete proposals to this first draft.
The 5th session was held in October 2019. You can read a summary of the session here. After last year’s first draft Convention, the Chair of the Working Group presented a revised draft Convention. The Global Campaign submitted concrete comments and proposals to this second draft.
The 6th session was held in October 2020. We have written about this session here. During this session, the Working Group considered and negotiated the second revised treaty. CETIM and the Global Campaign submitted a document analyzing this new draft, which includes general comments and amendments article by article.
The 7th session was held in Geneva in October 2021, where the third revised draft treaty was negotiated. CETIM published an article analyzing this session here.
The 8th session of the Working Group was held in Geneva in October 2022. During this session, a new version of the third revised draft was negotiated, as well as a new document of “informal” proposals presented by the Chair of the Working Group. CETIM published a review article of this session here.
The 9th session of the Working Group was held at the Palais des Nations in Geneva in October 2023. CETIM and the Global Campaign published an analysis of this session here.
1. On a document submitted to the Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights in 2001 (E/CN.4/Sub.2/2001/NGO/21. Activities of the Working Group on Transnational Corporations of the Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights), the American Association of Jurists and the Centre Europe Third World stated: « … The Working Group […]
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I. Effects of transnational corporations’ activities and working methods on human rights A. What are transnational corporations? 1. Transnational corporations are private law legal entities with a presence in multiple territorial jurisdictions but with a single decision-making headquarters. 2. Transnational corporations are active in the production of goods and of services – in practically all […]
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I. In 1998, the Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights, duly concerned about the effect of the methods of work and the activities of transnational corporations on the enjoyment of human rights, decided to create a Working Group with the following six points mandate. “1) to identify and examine the effects of […]
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Following the acceptance of resolution 1998/8 of the Sub-Commission, the Europe-Third World Center (CETIM) would like to provide its first contribution to the Working Group by transmitting some reflections which would be worth to be considered within the framework of its activities. They accentuate in particular the economic, social , cultural and environmental consequences of […]
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1. In his report to the General Assembly on “Entrepreneurship and privatization for economic growth and sustainable development” (A/52/428), the SecretaryGeneral has taken an unequivocal position in favour of a single economic model, defying all historical and empirical evidence. 2. In our view, the SecretaryGeneral has exceeded the mandate given to him by the General […]
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