The LdV [Law de Vigilance] is the result of a remarkable mobilization of trade unions, civil society and parliamentarians. It combines hard law with (international) soft law standards on business and human rights and introduces an unprecedented corporate duty of vigilance in French tort law.

Its adoption in February 2017 marked a blueprint for mandatory corporate human rights due diligence in France and in Europe. It also sends an unprecedented signal to businesses: the prevention of human rights abuses throughout their global supply chains and business partners falls under the scrutiny of a judge.

Despite being a pioneer and remarkable progress, the LdV carries a number of uncertainties concerning its implementation. Therefore, its first applications in French courts will be crucial to determine whether the LdV can serve a as a meaningful tool for protecting individuals and the environment against human rights abuses related to businesses activities...