UK Statement for the Intergovernmental Working Group on transnational corporations.
Opening statement for the 12th session of the open-ended Intergovernmental Working Group on transnational corporations and other business enterprises with respect to human rights.
Thank you, Chair.
The United Kingdom would like to thank you, your team and OHCHR for the preparations for this session, and all delegations and stakeholders for their continued engagement.
The UK remains firmly committed to promoting responsible business conduct, preventing business-related human rights abuses, and supporting access to effective remedy. We are also committed to ensuring that businesses respect human rights, support sustainable development, and contribute to more resilient and inclusive economies.
We will continue to engage in this process constructively. We recognise the potential value of an instrument that strengthens international cooperation and supports better outcomes for those affected by business-related human rights abuses. However, for any instrument to secure broad support and be effective in practice, it must be clear, legally coherent and workable for States, businesses and rights-holders alike.
As we discuss the Chair’s suggested redrafting of certain Articles this week, we will focus on ensuring that proposed provisions complement existing legal frameworks and can be implemented in practice. As others have said, we consider it important that the draft treaty under negotiation remains aligned with established international standards, including the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, with their emphasis on prevention, responsible business conduct and effective remedy.
We will continue to intervene on general points of principle but given the short time to consider the Chair’s proposals, we are continuing to assess them in greater depth and will reserve our position where appropriate.
Chair,
The UK remains committed to working constructively with all delegations to build consensus where possible and to identify practical solutions to the issues that remain under discussion. We look forward to a productive week of negotiations.
Thank you.