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The historic 10th session of negotiations for a UN treaty to hold transnational corporations (TNCs) accountable for their human rights violations (Binding Treaty) have now closed.
Within the context of the ongoing genocide in Palestine fueled by TNCs, forced displacement of communities due to large-scale energy projects, and continued corporate land and water-grabbing, such a Treaty has never been more important. This year, negotiations centred on the rights and protection of victims, affected persons and communities and on the future Treaty’s ability to hold TNCs liable throughout their value chains. All Civil Society coalitions and several States have also called attention to the risks of corporate capture.
Friends of the Earth International alongside the Global Campaign to Reclaim Peoples’ Sovereignty, Dismantle Corporate Power and Stop Impunity, brought the voices of the communities and social movements affected by corporate crime to the international stage, making sure that the true protagonists of this process are also represented in the room.
“To look back on the last decade of negotiations for the Binding Treaty is to recognise what an incredibly historic feat it is for those on the frontlines of corporate crimes that we’re here and that this process exists. We’ve made significant progress this year toward a truly just and effective Binding Treaty which, unlike previous years when the Treaty was held up by a Chair intent on obstructing negotiations.”
Erika Mendes
Justica Ambiental / Friends of the Earth Mozambique
The involvement of Friends of the Earth International and much of civil society and Global South states, however, was far from a given.
“Whether it be due to the arbitrary, unilateral decisions to change the dates of the negotiations with a few weeks notice or enabling the shameless intervening of corporations, space for the voices of social movements and affected communities is under threat. We, as affected communities, are the heart of this Treaty and we refuse to be cast aside. Now in the 10th session, we were stronger than ever.”
Pablo Fajardo
UDAPT / Friends of the Earth Ecuador
The Binding Treaty process started decades ago through Peoples’ Tribunals and a Peoples’ Treaty drafted by affected communities. Now having made it to the UN, the threat of corporate influence continues to loom heavily.
“The 10th session took place at a time when multilateral decision-making spaces are opening up to corporate representatives – multistakeholderism. We saw this at the recent Summit of the Future and at the recent COP29 and Plastics Treaty negotiations. And just as in those spaces, corporate power was highly contested. In solidarity with the billions of people struggling against TNCs, we took a stand against the attempts of the business associations representing them to intimidate civil society and threaten Global South states.”
Juliette Renaud
Friends of the Earth France
“It is not for human rights violators to have a say in how they should be regulated or held accountable for their violations. To allow transnational corporations to be represented in any way in these negotiations is to allow the fox to plan the security system of the henhouse. If the Treaty is to have a life beyond the paper it’s written on, it must be protected from corporate influence and capture at all stages of the process.”
Letícia Paranhos
Friends of the Earth International
Looking to 2025, Friends of the Earth International will continue to hold the line against the influence of corporations, the TNC lobbies and the States backing them. It seems that an ambitious Treaty that ensures that human rights prevail over corporate profits is in sight and that access to justice for all those struggling against corporate power is on the horizon.
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Media contact
Ghislaine Fandel // ghislaine@foei.org // Whatsapp/Signal +33 7 66 67 95 50 // @FoEint // in Geneva 16-21 December
The post Binding Treaty 10th session closes: Progress in holding transnational corporations accountable despite presence of corporate lobbies appeared first on Friends of the Earth International.
