In 2011, the UN Human Rights Council unanimously endorsed the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, including the third pillar on the need for greater access for victims to effective remedy. However, despite the official support given by the European Union and its Member States to the full implementation of the UN Guiding Principles, a recent study published by ECCJ, CORE, and ICAR has shown that the existence of legal, procedural, and institutional barriers still prevent victims of corporate abuses from gaining access to an effective remedy in the EU.The event aims at gaining an understanding of the legal and institutional frameworks pertaining to civil justice in business and human rights, as well as in the environmental, competition, and consumer fields in Europe. During the event, a high-level debate will also be launched on potential solutions to support the adequate implementation of the third pillar of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (i.e. access to remedy) in the EU area of civil justice. Particular attention will be paid to the respective role of the EU institutions and its Member States in ensuring effective judicial remedy in Europe. The event will bring together a diverse range of stakeholders from academia, legal profession, business, civil society and policy makers.
