"Obligations and responsibilities of TNCs-OBEs discussed during the third day of the IGWG", 26 Oct 2016

The third day of the IGWG on Transnational Corporations and Other Business Enterprises (TNC-OBEs) continued on the theme of obligations, this time focusing on the responsibilities of TNCs and OBEs with respect to human rights. Today’s session focused on existing international instruments addressing the obligations of private actors, as well as on approaches to clarify standards of liability of TNC-OBEs.  Ms Kromjong, Secretary General of the International Organization of Employers (IOE) opened the discussion by listing some existing regulatory instruments...Her main argument was based on the idea that, fundamentally, governments hold the ultimate responsibility to respect and implement international human rights law...This argument was challenged by Ecuador who argued that non-state actors are indeed covered by international human rights standards...Latin American States have been particularly present in today’s discussion...Cuba and Bolivia suggested that a monitoring mechanism should be set up to ensure the implementation of the future Treaty and provide access to remedy.  This was also supported by civil society representatives...