ABSTRACT
Multinational corporations are major international actors, and have a demonstrated impact on human rights where they operate, whether positive and negative. In order to foster the positive impacts of business on human rights, and to ensure accountability for human rights violations committed by corporations, an international body of norms has been forming in the last decade as part of a worldwide 'business and human rights' agenda. Business enterprises have undeniably important impacts on human rights. These impacts can be positive, such as the creation jobs and economic activity, thereby contributing to rising the standard of living where they operate, or through many charitable contributions. European Union (EU) trade policy is mainly carried out through international agreements, and since 1995, all these agreements contain a so-called 'human rights clause', which defines human rights as an 'essential element' of the treaty relationship allowing the other party to take 'appropriate measures' in case that element happened to disappear.
