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Presentation by Dominique POTIER, Member of French Parliament for Meurthe -et- Moselle

Presentation by Dominique POTIER, Member of French Parliament for Meurthe -et- Moselle Towards the adoption of a duty of vigilance law for transnational corporations Putting an end to modern slavery. “The EU Roadmap to Business and Human Rights Conference”

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Presentation by Dominique POTIER, Member of French Parliament for Meurthe -et- Moselle

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  1. Presentation by Dominique POTIER, Member of French Parliament for Meurthe-et-Moselle Towards the adoption of a duty of vigilance law for transnational corporations Putting an end to modern slavery “The EU Roadmap to Business and Human Rights Conference” Plenary session : “Human Rights Due Diligence: The Role of States” Amsterdam – 11 May 2016

  2. Introduction From principles to implementation Why do we need this law? Innovative development process Towards lifting the legal veil Path towards new legislation Landmark law for human rights protection in a global society

  3. From principles to implementation (1/2) • The United Nations Global Compact (2000): 12 000 signatories, 145 countries. Encourages businesses to “promote and respect the protection of internationally proclaimed human rights” within their sphere of influence. • The ILO Declaration (revised 2006) recommends that States and social partners respect human rights articulated in the UDHR. • ISO 26 000 (2008) determines that CSR should take into consideration the sphere of influence. • The OECD Guidelines and the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (2011) require companies to ensure respect for human rights through due diligence procedures. • The EU Non-Financial Reporting Directive (2014) sets out a framework of CSR transparency within the EU, and provides that companies publish information on due diligence measures put in place within the supply chain.

  4. From principles to implementation (2/2) Principles • Against the low costcompetitive strategy • For the respect of human dignity • Against political and economical uncertainty

  5. Why do we need this law? Law rooted in three complementary tracks: • Promotion of European standards in international trade • Engagement of companies in corporate social responsibility and increasing consumer preference for ethical purchasing 3rd track, complementary with the two others: it’s a humanist and realistic law

  6. Innovativedevelopmentprocess Three year collaboration between: • NGOs: Amnesty International, CCFD-Terre Solidaire, Sherpa , CollectifEthiquesurl’étiquette, les Amis de la Terre, Caritas … ; • Major French unions; • Academics and lawyers; • The four groups forming Parliamentary majority: Socialists, Greens, Communists (GDR group) and the Radicals (RRDP group). All worked together in a Parliamentary Committee (Committee for Corporate Social Responsibility of Transnational Corporations)

  7. Towardslifting the legal veil 3 principles : • Prevention : an effective implementation of a vigilance plan; • 360° vigilance: human rights, environment, corruption ; • Strengthening access to justice and remedy for victims by enhancing the chain of causality: + an administrative fine of up to 10 Million EUR + publication of the court’s decision

  8. Path towards new legislation In France : • 2 successive versions of the law to reach a compromise proposal • Parliamentary ‘back and forth’ between National Assembly and Senate : a race against time - Support from the National Assembly: unanimous adoption on 30 March 2015, then on second reading on 23 March 2016; • Senate Opposition OBJECTIVE: A final adoption before the end of the 2016 session. In Europe :   • A proposal for a European resolution adopted by the French National Assembly (June 2015); • The Green Card initiative by the French Greens; OBJECTIVE : the adoption of a European Directive

  9. Landmark lawwith historical significance • Concept of loyalty • Historical lessons: - Legislation regarding work accidents (end of 19th Century) - The abolition of slave trade (18th and 19th Century)

  10. « J’appelle négrier, non seulement le capitaine de navire qui vole, achète, enchaîne, encaque et vend des hommes noirs, ou sang-mêlés, qui même les jette à la mer pour faire disparaître le corps de délit, mais encore tout individu qui, par une coopération directe ou indirecte, est complice de ces crimes. Ainsi, la dénomination de négriers comprend les armateurs, affréteurs, actionnaires, commanditaires, assureurs, colons-planteurs, gérants, capitaines, contremaîtres, et jusqu’au dernier des matelots, participant à ce trafic honteux. » L’Abbé Grégoire Des peines infamantes à infliger aux négriers (1822)

  11. Thank you for your attention Dominique Potier French Parliament Representative for Meurthe-et-Moselle dpotier@assemblee-nationale.fr www.dominiquepotier.com The law project on duty of vigilance of parent companies (n° 2578), is available on the website of the French National Assembly : http://www.assemblee-nationale.fr/14/dossiers/devoir_vigilance_entreprises_donneuses_ordre.asp

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