The respect of human rights is the most fundamental value that we have as a society. Nevertheless, economic globalisation has lead to the massive exploitation of human rights in developing countries for the benefit of multinational enterprises (MNEs). The outsourcing and offshoring of production and services have had huge environmental and social costs.
European MNEs have been continually associated with violations of workers' rights, environmental damage, and harm to local communities. The reason for these continued violations is complex and multifaceted, yet of central significance is the law that governs these MNEs’ legal structures and accountability.
Subject to certain exceptions, the parent companies and boards of directors of MNEs are not legally responsible for the adverse human rights impacts directly linked to their operations, products, or services by their business relationships, including those caused by their subsidiaries, subcontractors, or customers. While victims of human rights abuses are typically entitled to pursue legal action in the country where the abuse took place, there may exist significant practical barriers, including the lack of an effective judicial system.
An additional problem is that even if the victims of corporate related abuse can make a legal case against the parent company of an MNE under the jurisdiction of an EU Member State, the existence of legal, procedural, and institutional barriers still prevent these victims from gaining access to an effective remedy.
The concept of human rights due diligence has recently garnered attention as a major tool that has the potential to bridge this governance gap. It sits at the core of the United Nations Guiding Principles for Business and Human Rights, which recognize and clarify the state duty to protect human rights, the corporate responsibility to respect them, and the right of people to access remedy for violations of human rights.
We work with the European Coalition for Corporate Justice (ECCJ), of which we are a Steering Member, and other civil society groups, and renowned legal experts to develop and promote solutions to the above mentioned problems.
A new study by the Frank Bold expert group analyses the legal regulation of community energy in EU member states down to the practical implementation. In response, it presents seven specific recommendations to improve the legislation of energy laws, as well as the planned implementing regulations.
Today, the European Parliament has adopted its negotiating position on the proposal for a Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD). A majority of 366 Members of the Parliament voted in favour of almost all the amendments endorsed by the Committee on Legal Affairs in April, with 225 votes against and 38 abstentions.
More than a half of the energy consumed in the EU is used to heat and cool homes, offices, shops and other premises. In the context of the EU's efforts to reduce emissions, the decarbonisation of the heating sector is therefore inevitable. But how to achieve a successful transformation of the heating sector in the Czech Republic? We have reviewed examples of community heating plants abroad and outlined solutions applicable in CZ as well.
