Business and human rights

Business-related human rights abuse reported in the EU and available remedies

Growing global efforts to encourage responsible business conduct that respects human rights include steps to ensure access to effective remedies when breaches occur. In 2017, the European Commission asked the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) to collect evidence on such access in the EU Member States, with the ultimate goal of identifying the EU actions most needed in this field. FRA’s resulting research involved two phases: desk research on different incidents of abuse; and interview-based fieldwork on professionals’ views on the availability and effectiveness of different complaint avenues.

Protecting migrant workers from exploitation in the EU: boosting workplace inspections

Severe labour exploitation is widespread across the European Union. While workplace inspections can help counter this phenomenon, they need to be strengthened to do so effectively. Based on interviews and focus group discussions with almost 240 exploited workers active in diverse economic sectors, this report provides important evidence on how unscrupulous employers manipulate and undermine inspections, and on what can be done to counteract such efforts.

Improving access to remedy in the area of business and human rights at the EU level

The Council of the EU requested this FRA Opinion in its Conclusions on business and human rights. The expert opinion sought from FRA was to look at “possible avenues to lower barriers for access to remedy at the EU level” – the third of three pillars of the UN Guiding Principles.

The freedom to conduct a business

The freedom to conduct a business, one of the lesser-known rights of the EU’s Charter of Fundamental Rights, can help boost growth and jobs across the EU.

Freedom to conduct a business: exploring the dimensions of a fundamental right

This report seeks to demonstrate that the fulfilment of fundamental rights can help to improve the situation and achieve the strategic goals set out in the Europe 2020 growth strategy, which aims to establish a smart, sustainable and inclusive economy.