"Important step for the human rights and ecological orientation of the global economy", September 2020.

This year's round of negotiations comes at a crucial time: It was decided both at EU level and in Germany that companies should be obliged to carry out human rights and environmental due diligence through their supply chain...Yet, the German government remains opposed to active participation in the UN treaty process, arguing that it cannot advocate for international rules as long as there is no decision in principle at the national level in favour of a statutory regulation. As binding human rights rules for companies are now being introduced both at the EU level and in Germany, the German government - as well as the German economy - should actually have a vital stake in a UN treaty that obliges all States worldwide to protect human rights and the environment in economic activities...

The current draft of the treaty goes far in accommodating the concerns regarding the preceding draft expressed by the EU Commission and the German government...Against this background, we urge that the EU Commis-sion and the German government participate actively and constructively in the coming round of negotiations, and consider the following comments and suggestions for improvement...