Proposition écrite des Amis de la Terre International au Groupe de travail intergouvernemental à composition non limitée sur les sociétés transnationales et autres entreprises commerciales et les droits de l’homme

Friends of the Earth International (FoEI) argues that the Zero Draft presented by the IGWG is too weak and fails to establish a robust mechanism to end the impunity of transnational corporations. The organization advocates for the primacy of human rights over trade and investment agreements, the establishment of an international tribunal for TNCs, and the inclusion of direct legal obligations for corporations rather than relying on voluntary principles or state-centric responsibilities. FoEI also criticizes the European Union for its lack of constructive participation and for favoring corporate interests over human rights.

• The 'Zero Draft' is considered insufficient and a regression compared to the previous 'Elements' document, as it lacks a section on principles and fails to establish the supremacy of human rights over trade and investment treaties.
• FoEI argues that the treaty must impose direct legal obligations on transnational corporations (TNCs) and other business enterprises, rather than focusing primarily on the responsibilities of States.
• The document highlights a critical gap in the Zero Draft regarding the 'value chain,' noting that it does not sufficiently cover extraterritorial obligations or the responsibility of parent companies for the actions of subsidiaries and subcontractors.
• FoEI proposes the creation of a permanent, independent, and itinerant international tribunal to prosecute TNCs for human rights violations, especially in cases where national courts are ineffective or governments are too weak.
• The organization criticizes the European Union for its unilateral disengagement from the process and for promoting voluntary, ineffective standards over a legally binding treaty.
• The document calls for the prohibition of the 'forum non conveniens' argument to prevent corporations from avoiding justice in the courts of their home countries.
• FoEI emphasizes that the treaty should require States to conduct human rights impact assessments before signing investment contracts and to terminate agreements that are incompatible with international human rights law.
• The document reports instances of corporate influence and intimidation during the IGWG sessions, including threats of commercial reprisals by the International Organisation of Employers (IOE) against Southern States.

APA

Friends of the Earth International (2019). Proposition écrite des Amis de la Terre International au Groupe de travail intergouvernemental à composition non limitée sur les sociétés transnationales et autres entreprises commerciales et les droits de l’homme. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Foei_Submission_2018_french_pages.pdf

Chicago

Friends of the Earth International. Proposition écrite des Amis de la Terre International au Groupe de travail intergouvernemental à composition non limitée sur les sociétés transnationales et autres entreprises commerciales et les droits de l’homme. 2019. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Foei_Submission_2018_french_pages.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Friends of the Earth International |title=Proposition écrite des Amis de la Terre International au Groupe de travail intergouvernemental à composition non limitée sur les sociétés transnationales et autres entreprises commerciales et les droits de l’homme |date=June 2019 |url=https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Foei_Submission_2018_french_pages.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{friendsoftheearthinternational2019proposition, author = {{Friends of the Earth International}}, title = {{Proposition écrite des Amis de la Terre International au Groupe de travail intergouvernemental à composition non limitée sur les sociétés transnationales et autres entreprises commerciales et les droits de l’homme}}, publisher = {Friends of the Earth International}, year = {2019}, month = jun, url = {https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Foei_Submission_2018_french_pages.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }