PHM-Exch> Historic process continues at the UN: States resume substantive negotiations on the text for a binding treaty on transnational corporations with respect to human rights

[Claudio Schuftan]

From: Sol Trumbo Vila <soltrumbovila at tni.org>

Please find the press release issued today by the Global Campaign to
Reclaim Peoples Sovereignty, Dismantle Corporate Power and Stop Impunity in
the context of the UN Binding Treaty negotiations. *(Available online here
<https://www.stopcorporateimpunity.org/press-release-historic-process-continues-at-the-un-states-resume-substantive-negotiations-on-the-text-for-a-binding-treaty-on-transnational-corporations-with-respect-to-human-rights/>)*

In solidarity,

*PRESS RELEASE - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (Available online here
<https://www.stopcorporateimpunity.org/press-release-historic-process-continues-at-the-un-states-resume-substantive-negotiations-on-the-text-for-a-binding-treaty-on-transnational-corporations-with-respect-to-human-rights/>)*

*Historic process continues at the UN: States resume substantive
negotiations on the text for a binding treaty on transnational corporations
with respect to human rights *

*28 October 2020, Geneva: *

Amidst the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, the United Nations (UN)
Open Ended Inter-governmental Working Group (OEIGWG) enters its sixth round
of negotiations on a treaty on “transnational corporations and other
business enterprises with respect to human rights,”
<https://www.ohchr.org/en/hrbodies/hrc/wgtranscorp/pages/igwgontnc.aspx>1
from 26 -30 October. UN member states will negotiate a second revised draft
of this groundbreaking treaty, which aims to elaborate an international
legally binding instrument to regulate, in international human rights law,
the activities of transnational corporations.

Interest in the process continues to grow as evidenced by the significant
presence of UN member state delegates taking part in negotiations.

The Global Interparliamentarian Network (GIN) has issued a statement in
support of the UN Binding Treaty urging “states to actively engage in this
UN process and to work towards an effective and legally binding instrument,
to ensure that people´s dignity enshrined by universal political, economic,
social and cultural rights, is prioritised and guaranteed worldwide over
private profits.” <https://bindingtreaty.org>2

Mayors and City Council Members of cities including Barcelona, Strasbourg
and, Paris have issued a call to local authorities around the world to
support the UN Binding Treaty on Transnational Corporations and Human
Rights.
<https://bindingtreaty.org/local-authorities-in-support-to-the-un-binding-treaty/>
3

The continued presence each year since 2015 - the start of this process -
of hundreds of representatives from affected communities, civil society
organisations, trade unions and social movements makes it one of the most
strongly supported in the story of the OEIGWG. This year, however, due to
COVID19 restrictions, physical presence in Geneva is limited, although
remote participation has been enabled through various online platforms. In
this context, the Global Campaign to Reclaim Peoples Sovereignty, Dismantle
Corporate Power and Stop Impunity (Global Campaign)
<https://www.stopcorporateimpunity.org/>4 together with the GIN hosted a
virtual Press Conference (full recording here
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PABFuhwbwIg&feature=youtu.be>) with high
level political and civil society actors.

*Leïla Chaibi, Member of the European Parliament, France insoumise (GUE/NGL*)
remarked :

“Today there is no Binding International Treaty that protects people, but
there are treaties that protect the investments of large corporations.
Thanks to initiatives such as the Toxic Tour, I was able to see how these
companies destroy health and communities in Mexico. The EU has had no
problem signing free trade agreements with third countries and this is
deeply unfair. Along with many of my deputies, we continue to ask that we
cannot put ourselves in the sidelines in the face of these human rights
violations by transnational corporations.”

*Charles Santiago.* *Member of the Malaysian Parliament. Chairperson of
ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights* stated:

“At present, 43 million people have been infected by the Corona virus and
more than one million have died. It is a catastrophe. Developing a Covid-19
vaccine is critical and has to be a global public good. Prices and profits
need to be regulated. Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) provisions in
the Trade-Related
Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) agreement need to be
suspended to allow patent production of generic and bio similar products.

Transnational corporations (TNCs) and rich countries are refusing to
suspend IPR provisions because, they claim, it would undermine patent
protection. A global mechanism must be developed to regulate big
pharmaceuticals on prices, profits and IPR. Transnational corporations’
'business as usual approach' which prioritises profit during a global
pandemic is not politically sustainable. The UN Binding Treaty is the best
place to reset and enhance accountability of TNCs.”

*Dr. Manoela Carneiro Roland. HOMA’s Coordinator (Human Rights and Business
Center) Prof Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Brazil* stated:

“We must regulate transnational corporations. This implies establishing
direct obligations for them. Transnational companies already have rights
established in the 3,000 plus signed investment agreements. We need to
transform the paradigm of due diligence because it is a framework that
erroneously leaves the task of self-monitoring to companies. We must
establish effective control mechanisms, such as an International Court that
has competence to judge transnational companies."

*Keamogetswe Seipato.* *Coordinator of the Southern African Campaign to
Dismantle Corporate Power. Alternative Information & Development Center
(AIDC), South Africa*. claimed:

“We have to reduce or limit the power of companies. The African continent
is a breeding ground for human rights violations. The primacy of human
rights must be respected. It is a question of underlining the need for
companies to be accountable because they cannot come to our countries to
expand and neglect the main Human Rights Conventions. We must remember that
the UN Binding Treaty must be a mechanism to help communities access
redress for human rights violations - one that provides both the assistance
and support affected people need.”

*NOTE TO EDITORS *
For further information or to arrange interviews you can contact:

   - Sol Trumbo Vila, Email: soltrumbovila at tni.org Tel: +31 605387227 (EN,
   SP)
   - *Mónica Vargas*, Email: m.vargas at tni.org Tel: +34 662026497 (EN, SP,
   FR)

Press Release issued by the Global Campaign to Reclaim Peoples Sovereignty,
Dismantle Corporate Power and Stop Impunity. A network of over 250 social
movements, civil society organisations (CSOs), trade unions and communities
affected by the activities of Transnational Corporations, representing 260
million people globally. https://www.stopcorporateimpunity.org/

(1) This mandate is a result of resolution 26/9 adopted by the Human Rights
Council in 2014. Official page:
https://www.ohchr.org/en/hrbodies/hrc/wgtranscorp/pages/igwgontnc.aspx

(2) Global Interparliamentarian Network in support of the UN Binding Treaty
is formed by more than 300 members of parliaments from all over the world.
https://bindingtreaty.org

(3)
https://bindingtreaty.org/local-authorities-in-support-to-the-un-binding-treaty/

(4) The Global Campaign to Reclaim Peoples Sovereignty, Dismantle Corporate
Power and Stop Impunity (Global Campaign) - a network of over 250 social
movements, civil society organisations (CSOs), trade unions and communities
affected by the activities of transnational corporations (TNCs),
representing 260 million people globally. For this sixth session it has
issued its position on the second revised draft.
https://www.stopcorporateimpunity.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Position-paper-Global-Campaign_2nd-revised-draft-TNCs_FINAL-2.pdf
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