Conference: "Smart regulation: Legislative opportunities for the EU to improve corporate accountability" , European Parliament, Brussels - May 29, 2008

European companies’ sphere of influence continues to increase and far too often weak accountability mechanisms have resulted in exploitation of people and the environment.

The development of effective
accountability mechanisms is key if European aspirational objectives in relation to poverty alleviation and
sustainable development are to be met. Action to integrate better corporate accountability measures in all
relevant policies is essential for the success of the EU’s own commitment to tackling climate change,
delivering sustainable development, promoting and defending human rights, respecting biodiversity and
creating growth and jobs.
This conference, organized by The European Coalition for Corporate Justice1 (ECCJ) entitled
‘Legislative opportunities to improve corporate accountability at the European Union’ will review a range of
proposals designed to help Europe truly become a “CSR pole of excellence”. Given the EU’s influential role
as the biggest aid donor worldwide and considering that it has already established a developed set of
domestic laws to regulate corporate behavior within the Union’s territory, the EU is uniquely positioned to
contribute greatly to the advancement of the international discussions on corporate accountability.
In order to address this challenge -and by advancing some of the European Parliaments’ recommendations
of its resolution on CSR from March 2007, ECCJ together with MEPs, lawyers, academics and civil society
campaigners will present in this conference the result of new research and analysis of a range of proposals
that aim to strengthen existing EU legislation to provide greater accountability of EU companies’ operations
abroad.

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