ECCJ welcomes the European Parliament’s adoption of the report on Corporate liability for serious human rights abuses in third countries. The Report, led by MEP Ignazio Corrao, was adopted today by the Strasbourg Plenary with an overwhelming cross-party majority of 569 votes for, 54 against and 74 abstentions. The report makes reference to recent calls for action on business and human rights made by the EU Council, Council of Europe, and UN Human Rights Council, ILO and OECD. Its recommendations are rooted in the European Union (EU) fundamental values of “respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights”, as well as the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs), while noting that “effective control and sanction mechanisms remain a challenge in the worldwide implementation of the UNGPs.” The Report highlights the EU and Member States’ legal responsibility to assure human rights protection from negative business impacts, within and outside the Union, and, where abuse has occurred, facilitate justice for victims. It adds that the EU and Member States should “lay down clear rules setting out that companies established in their territory or under their jurisdiction must respect human rights throughout their operations, in every country and context in which they operate, and in relation to their business relationships, including outside the EU.”...