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Open-ended intergovernmental working group on transnational corporations and other business enterprises with respect to human rights

Overview

At its 26th session, on 26 June 2014, the Human Rights Council adopted resolution 26/9 by which it decided “to establish an open-ended intergovernmental working group on transnational corporations and other business enterprises with respect to human rights, whose mandate shall be to elaborate an international legally binding instrument to regulate, in international human rights law, the activities of transnational corporations and other business enterprises.”

At its 56th session, on 11 July 2024, the Human Rights Council adopted decision 56/116 to enhance the support capabilities of the open-ended intergovernmental working group (OEIGWG).

The OEIGWG has had ten sessions so far (see history of the process below). The eleventh session page contains the latest information on the OEIGWG, including regarding the thematic consultations undertaken before the 11th session, as well as the session scheduled to take place from 20 to 24 October 2025.

Documents

11th session (2025)

10th session (2024)

9th session (2023)

8th session (2022)

7th session (2021)

6th session (2020)

5th session (2019)

4th session (2018)

3rd session (2017)

2nd session (2016)

1st session (2015)

History of the Process

The first and second sessions of the open-ended intergovernmental working group on transnational corporations and other business enterprises with respect to human rights (OEIGWG) were dedicated to conducting constructive deliberations on the content, scope, nature and form of a future international instrument to regulate, in international human rights law, the activities of transnational corporations and other business enterprises.

During the third session, the Working Group discussed elements for a draft legally binding instrument prepared by the Chairperson-Rapporteur of the OEIGWG taking into consideration the discussions held during the first two sessions.

During the fourth session, the Working Group's discussions focused on a zero draft legally binding instrument, as well as a zero draft optional protocol to be annexed to the zero draft legally binding instrument.

During the fifth session, a revised draft of the legally binding instrument served as the basis for negotiations.

During the sixth session, a second revised draft of the legally binding instrument served as the basis for negotiations.

During the seventh session, a third revised draft of the legally binding instrument served as the basis for negotiations.

During the eighth session, the third revised draft of the legally binding instrument with the textual proposals submitted by States during the seventh session served as the basis for negotiations. Additionally, to help advance discussions during the eighth session, States and non-State stakeholders could also comment on informal contributions presented by the Chair-Rapporteur on select articles of the instrument.

During the ninth session, an updated draft of the legally binding instrument served as the basis for negotiations.

At its 56th session, on 11 July 2024, the Human Rights Council adopted decision 56/116  to enhance the support capabilities of the OEIGWG.

During the tenth session, negotiations continued on the basis of the updated draft legally binding instrument with the textual proposals submitted by States during the ninth session.

Sessions