Sometimes, companies pursue social and environmental goals with great publicity—this is particularly true whenever companies are responsible for or contribute to grievances. Activists and organizations are calling for greater transparency within the supply chains.
The Colombian examples shows how important it is to establish orderly structures quickly and effectively and to guarantee human and socio-economic rights for the population. Only in this way can peace be established in the long run and humane living conditions be created.
Sufficient transparency regarding companies' global supply chains is important for the observance and enforcement of human rights and socio-economic rights.
Is there a way to protect the rights of the victims and to get the culture of fear and violence out of Colombia?
Corporations can and do abuse socio-economic rights in some of the countries they operate in.
Keeping corporations in check and holding them responsible for their actions is crucial for sustainable development.
Fair compensation has come a long way and it will not stop any time soon.
The government in Cambodia has ratified some international conventions on human and socio-economic rights, but this has not been enough. What is needed is the fair implementation and improved access to these rights for the victims.
Worldwide, however, there is a lack of opportunities for international enforcement of human and socio-economic rights.
To date, it has mostly been poor countries that had to pay compensation to internationally established companies. Why?
The idea of blacklisting, which could be seen as a bad idea at first, did its job, and very quickly.
How can corporate accountability be interpreted when dealing with complex international interdependencies and how victims of socio-economic violations by corporations can enforce their rights?
Understanding the right to health and how governments and corporations impact it.
A “common approach” is recommended to deal with national champions.
Africa welcome Chinese investment money, jobs, and economic activity; but they come at a cost. To improve the situation, China should sort out their socio-economic rights issues at home, so that they can immediately help the continent who has kept their lights on and their economy booming.
Is Europe, and the EU, doing its best to keep tax avoidance at bay?
International legislation could be the key to litigate and mediate between the state and corporate actors in one side and the population on the other, to conduct constructive and non-violent transitions towards a desirable outcome.
Globalization is here to stay, and it needs to stay. Without globalization, some countries might never be able to provide the basic needs that their people should be guaranteed.
Worldwide there is a lack of opportunities for international enforcement of human and socio-economic rights.
Transnational corporations at their worst represent one of the most problematic faces of global neo-liberal capitalism.
National Champions are crucial pieces to many nations, and the worlds, economies. However, not everything is always perfect in the world. It is evident that these national champions could harm states, nations, and economies, particularly those in the developing world.
The investment in the extraction of fossil fuels bears the risk of stranded assets and thus of economic damage to the country concerned. If the production limit is not observed, however, it inevitably has dramatic consequences for the environment worldwide due to the large quantities involved. Thus, it is paramount to regulate resource exploitation for the protection of the environment.
Our consumer behaviour promotes the policy of the lowest price and thus works against any social economic policy. So, what drives us to turn away from these problems? Even though, when we buy a cheap T-shirt, we are all aware of what is behind it.
Under the auspices of the trade companies, severe violations of human rights occurred. While some claims have been made to make corporations responsible for their misdeeds at the time, little has been achieved.
Emerging economies could serve as amplifiers as they steadily receive technologies and increase national innovation and production to eventually transfer to other developing nations.
Are ex ante solutions better suited when dealing with ruinous consequences than ex post remedies?
Successful integration and regulation of blockchain technology-based currencies could facilitate the emergence of projects that aim towards sustainable development and, also, provide a strong tool to fight tax evasion.
Technical transference is an imperative in order to promote the independence of the receiving nations.
Could reform pave the way for China to play a more active role in global climate protection?
Would the world be different if National Champions did not exist?
Agencies appear to have neither the expertise nor the knowledge necessary to evaluate the risks of offshore methane hydrate extraction.
There always have been people who do not want to pay taxes.
Do companies have a duty to respect and protect the right to water?
How important is the regulation of resource exploitation for the environment in the Caspian Sea?
Should blockchain become the basic tenet of governance?
Climatic change presents a health and economic threat and must be discussed comprehensively, in order to make sure the environment is preserved for future generations.
Estonia shows us the potential of using blockchain technologies to create efficient administrative practices.
The harsh reality is that the world will never truly be at peace all the time, but that doesn't mean it shouldn't strive for it.
Not only States have to ensure that socio-economic rights are available to people; companies must also ensure that they respect and, above all, do not violate socio-economic rights.
China is home to an abundance of natural resources, but, unfortunately, most of their energy comes from non-renewable energy sources.
International trade plays an important role in development, new approaches and technologies will make it more efficient and solve some of its problems.
After more than 20 years of negotiations, the riparian states have recently agreed on the classification and division of the Caspian Sea.
The last decades have revealed that the price of our development came at the expense of the planet.
Sometimes these disputes are handled easily and swiftly. However, some disputes can span for decades upon decades.
Can blockchain technology shape an energy system transformation that will benefit developing countries?
Chinese policies seem unprepared to address the risks that could emerge from pioneering offshore extractions and the numerous uncertainties surrounding them.
Are we taking our access to energy for granted?
Legislation in China has been too short-sighted in the past, but efforts like the Coal Law and the Electrical Act as a step in the right direction.
When so much money is being spent on energy sources, it is rather difficult to invest in renewables and other energy sources that might lead to independence.
The Caspian Sea Convention represents multilateralism at its best
Development must be social, inclusive, and equitable, while protecting the environment.
China has to do everything in their power to get the resources necessary to keep the country running.
If we understand the vital importance of natural resources for development, then they become of the focus of sustainable development.
As globalization and the modernization induced by advancements in technology have grown exponentially since the start of the century, a revolution of understanding about the relationship between governments and citizens has emerged.
In order to solve the information asymmetry issue that would bar victims from receiving compensation, a regulatory body supervising the methane hydrates extraction process must be established.
China has a bad reputation that they are trying to get themselves out of. Over the last few decades, the country of China has made some impressive leaps forward, yet problems remain.
Even though they have regularly been considered secondary in front of political rights, socio-economic rights are arguably as relevant as political rights.
"National Champions" are large companies that should be promoting the interests of a state or political group.
Technology transfer plays an essential role in the fight against climate change and it important to involve developing countries more in the negotiations.
Social phenomena are rarely, if ever, absolutely positive or absolutely negative. The same is true for social actors and their activities.
Energy is incredibly important to the world, to individuals, and to moving forward as a collective society. Without energy, and the advancements in the energy sector that we have had over the years, the world would be a much different place.
The trade in electricity will naturally be impacted by the laws and practices of the bodies presiding over its governance.
What are some of the fundamental problems of legal structures in the light of socio-economic rights?
The ASEAN approach presents a considerable number of shortcomings in terms of the protection of human and socio-economic rights. Possible development may depend on the simultaneous development of some other areas of socio-economic life.
Although some states have obligations to refrain from human rights violations and to actively work to protect human rights, national regulations often promote human rights violations in the interest of business.
Land disputes are nothing new. What might be surprising to some is that these disputes do not only happen on land. They also tend to happen with maritime regions. For instance, look at a dispute between the countries of Guyana and Venezuela.
The most accepted dogma establishes that foreign direct investments are great enhancers of a nation richness and increase socio-economic standards. Thanks to foreign investment, grand projects can be accomplished, as well as increase growth and development. Indeed, it is hard to deny the potential benefits of high levels of foreign direct investment. However, as often happens, things are not always as good as they seem.
To make justice to the past, and help protect its own future, developed countries should make an extra effort to cooperate and collaborate with developing nations to establish an international framework focused on environmental protection and global equitable sustainable development.
Although the intrinsic need for a fixed infrastructure in order to facilitate the actual trade of electricity could be an immense undertaking, its weight must be pitted against the potential positive impacts such infrastructure and subsequent trade could have for the environment as a whole.
The increase globalization has led some citizens, who view globalization as a threat to their way of life, to criticize their government and lose faith in its ability to regulate change.
The impact, possibilities, and risks of information and communication technologies in current global governance.
There needs to be an assurance that adequate and reliable energy sources are there.
To fix a global issues one can start in one country, but it takes much more to make an impact.
Every day, there are court cases. Every day judges make decisions, whether that be based on fact, based on prior rulings, or something else that leans a judge a certain way. Sometimes instances happen where there is an issue or an incident between two different jurisdictions.
The Caspian Sea was particularly controversial because of its legally unclear situation. It was therefore imperative to clarify the legal framework of the water body.
China might be a developing country, and a country that is somewhat vulnerable to climate change, but they are doing everything in their power, and then some, to protect their future.
We live in a world shaped by man, where the earth has become too narrow in our hands and many of the things we do have a global impact. The impetus for this evolution is the growing demand for energy, a field so momentous that it is difficult to regulate (both locally and globally) and is difficult to deal with without being narrow-sighted.
Is methane hydrates to be considered a safe form of sustainable energy? We argue that the extraction processes could present a legal challenge for environmental protection laws in China and across the globe.
Governments must cooperate with the business community to the extent that market regulation and new technologies enable socio- economic rights to be fulfilled, particularly with regards to environmental protection.
Comprehensive implementation often fails because of differences in interpretation of what is the minimum level of socio-economic rights
Should the solidarity found in climate change now help to fight poverty?
A large issue many countries face today is how to grant access to justice in terms of socio- economic rights.
Access to clean water is therefore one of the most important rights for human beings.
The classification of electricity as a good or a service is of huge import for matters of international conduct.
Balancing Intellectual Property Rights and Traditional Knowledge. A gLAWcal comment on Jianqiang Nie "The Relationship between the TRIPs Agreement and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD): Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folk Protection from a Chinese Perspective"
The future of Intellectual Property Rights. A gLAWcal comment on Jayashree Watal "Public Health, Intellectual Property Rights, and Developing Countries’ Access to Medicines"
Regulatory burden of the Chinese pharmaceutical markets. A gLAWcal comment on Francesca Spigarelli and Andrea Filippetti "Grasping Knowledge in Emerging Markets: is this the case of Western Pharmaceutical Companies in China?"
Traditional knowledge and traditional cultural . A gLAWcal comment on Jianqiang Nie "The Relationship between the TRIPs Agreement and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD): Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folk Protection from a Chinese Perspective"
Who in the world is filing PCTs? A gLAWcal comment on Francesca Spigarelli and Andrea Filippetti "Grasping Knowledge in Emerging Markets: is this the case of Western Pharmaceutical Companies in China?"
Public health consideration of the TRIPS Agreement. A gLAWcal comment on Jayashree Watal "Public Health, Intellectual Property Rights, and Developing Countries’ Access to Medicines"
Defining genetic resources. A gLAWcal comment on Jianqiang Nie "The Relationship between the TRIPs Agreement and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD): Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folk Protection from a Chinese Perspective"
Changing 21 century dynamic in the pharmaceutical import/export market. A gLAWcal comment on Francesca Spigarelli and Andrea Filippetti "Grasping Knowledge in Emerging Markets: is this the case of Western Pharmaceutical Companies in China?"
Balancing Intellectual Property Rights and access to live-saving medicine. A gLAWcal comment on Jayashree Watal "Public Health, Intellectual Property Rights, and Developing Countries’ Access to Medicines"
Adaptive regulations in food security.A gLAWcal comment on Denise Prévost "Health Protection Measures as Barriers to EU Exports to China in the Framework of the WTO Agreement on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures"
Professor Lastra discusses the need for a World Financial Organization as a mean to prevent future crisis.
Does the Concept of Proportionality Play a Role in International Economic Law? Professor Vadi’s Analysis
Christophe Germann noted that: “Copyright protects private rights, as reflected in the fourth recital of the preamble to the TRIPS Agreement, whilst government censorship addresses public interests.”
The TBT Agreement promotes the international harmonization of technical regulations.
While the SPS Agreement defers to the right of WTO Members to choose for themselves the level of SPS protection they deem appropriate ensuring within their territories, it monitors the choice of SPS measure to achieve this level of protection.
We can observe three generations of discourses on policies and rules of law that are relevant to the scope of the UNESCO Convention.
The transformation of the Chinese economy from agriculture to industry-based has led to rapid urbanization.
The TBT Agreement prohibits the adoption of technical requirements with a view to or with the effect of creating unnecessary obstacles to international trade.
The SPS Agreement uses the essential tool of science to distinguish between measures that aim at health protection and those that are disguised forms of protectionism.
As noted by the author Roberto Soprano, in the chapter China and the Recognition and Protection of the Human Right to Water: “ China does not recognize the right to water at the constitutional level. The Chinese Constitution establishes that the State shall ensure the rational use of natural resources and prohibits any organization or individual from damaging natural resources by whatever means.” Indeed, as noted by the author, the Chinese government is currently building huge dams in the framework of water projects that are costing a huge amount of money with the objective of diverting water from rural areas to the big cities that are witnessing water shortage. Such strategy has affected the citizens living in the places where the water has been taken from.
As noted by the authors Lukasz Gruszczynski, Tivadar Otvoes and Paolo Davide Farah, in the chapter Product Safety in the Framework of the WTO Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade: “the ‘competition test’ based on the GATT 1994 (Article I:1 and III:4), and the ‘regulatory context test’ according to Article 2.1 of the TBT can be adequately considered in particular cases – within the same one, if the complain points out inconsistency with both of the provisions of GATT and TBT. Indeed, as noted by the authors, such analysis was applied on a specific case study that was filed before the WTO by Indonesia against the United States of America (USA) claiming that the US technical measures banning the production and sale of flavored cigarettes including clove cigarettes have violated Article 2.1 of the TBT agreement and hide protectionism purposes as like products in this case menthol cigarettes were exempted from such measures and were being sold domestically.
The Climate Change Regime consists of too much soft law, argue Francesco Sindico and Julie Gibson in their chapter.
We need to re-think how the role of #corporations is shaping international economic order, Professor Bonfante argues.
As noted by the author Denis Prevost, in the chapter Health Protection Measures as Barriers to EU Exports to China in the Framework of the WTO Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures: “while requiring that SPS measures be science-based, non-discriminatory, and applied only to the extent necessary to protect health, the SPS Agreement leaves much room for Members to make policy choices regarding the level of protection they wish to ensure within their territories.” Indeed, as noted by the author, it is impossible for a country exporting a specific product to respect all the standards that are imposed by each importing country which have created problems in practice and there was a need to solve this urgent matter.
As noted by the author Christophe Germann, in the chapter China Meets Hollywood at WTO: Janus Faces of Freedom: Standards of Right and Wrong Between National and International Moralities: “If the UNESCO Convention enters into conflict with WTO law, the latter will generally prevail over the former. As a consequence, culture-concerned stakeholders have no incentive to make use of the UNESCO Convention and invoke its toothless legal remedies.” Indeed, as noted by the author, the analysis has shown the primacy of trade law over cultural law as a result of the development of international trade law through the years by the international community but which was driven by states interests as the primary reason for such fast evolution. In contrast, international culture law did not witness similar development pattern due to the fact that governments were less interested in developing a highly sophisticated and binding cultural law in the first place.
Is China doing its best to protect its citizens against pollution? A case study by Professor Nadia Coggiola.
As noted by the author Roberto Soprano, in the chapter China and the Recognition and Protection of the Human Right to Water: “As reported in World Bank studies, “China’s per capita availability of water is exceedingly low, suggesting the potential for water stress as demand for usable water rises with growth in population and in per capita incomes.” Indeed, as noted by the author, the current situation of fresh waters in China is disastrous. The combination of several factors has resulted in the creation of this situation whereby there is a need to seek new alternative sources of fresh waters.
As noted by the authors Lukasz Gruszczynski, Tivadar Otvoes and Paolo Davide Farah, in the chapter Product Safety in the Framework of the WTO Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade: “The TBT agreement aims to limit the negative impact that national technical barriers may have on international trade, without however constraining Members from choosing whatever regulatory goals they deem appropriate.” Indeed, as noted by the authors, states according to this agreement are allowed to adopt technical regulations that are trade restrictive, however, the list of objectives for which such regulations could be enacted are limited to the ones mentioned in the Article 2(2) of the agreement.
As noted by the author Denis Prevost, in the chapter Health Protection Measures as Barriers to EU Exports to China in the Framework of the WTO Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures: “The SPS Agreement reflects a negotiated balance between the competing goals of the liberalization of agri-food trade and the protection of health by national governments.” Indeed, as noted by the author, the multilateral trade system made sure to create a balance between the right of the countries to trade and export products without having to deal with trade restrictive measures and the right of each state to adopt specific regulations that aim at the protection of certain values in particular the protection of human, animal or plant life or health.
More Chinese came to Africa in the past decade than Europeans in the past 400 years, say Mark Klaver and Michael Trebilcock in their chapter. What does it mean in the context of trade relations and economy?
Food security might represent also a concern of national security, argues Paolo Davide Farah in his chapter.
As noted by the author Christophe Germann, in the chapter China Meets Hollywood at WTO: Janus Faces of Freedom: Standards of Right and Wrong Between National and International Moralities: “The UNESCO Convention has notably the objective to protect and promote the diversity of cultural expressions, to create the conditions for cultures to flourish and to freely interact in a mutually beneficial manner”. Indeed, as noted by the author, cultures play an important role in the development of a given society as it reflects the overall capacities and abilities of a particular community at a particular period.
Non-Trade Concerns: Magic words that will make global governance frameworks more “human”?
As noted by the author Roberto Soprano, in the chapter China and the Recognition and Protection of the Human Right to Water: “The right to water imposes a burden on China to develop new policies and rules to supply and ensure safe drinking water for its population, which might have an impact on current water diversion projects.” Indeed, as noted by the author, “in 2010, China voted in favor of a UN General Assembly resolution to recognize the right to water as a human right.” As such, the Chinese government has an obligation of ensuring the access to water to the citizens of the country despite the fact that the surface waters of the country are heavily polluted while the groundwater resources in Northern China are being depleted.
Read about the importance of the common but differentiated responsibilities principle against climate change.
As noted by the authors Lukasz Gruszczynski, Tivadar Otvoes and Paolo Davide Farah, in the chapter Product Safety in the Framework of the WTO Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade: “While product safety standards normally serve a legitimate interest of human and animal health protection, they can also constitute a serious barrier to trade.” Indeed, as noted by the authors, on the one hand, there are plenty of states that are adopting measures restricting the trade in particular products originating from third countries due to the existence of legitimate product safety concerns. On the other, multiple countries are using the issue of product safety to impose trade restrictive measures without having any proof that these products indeed pose safety risks.
Are Right to Food and Global Trade Compatible? Here is Professor’s Giustiniani view.
As noted by the author Denis Prevost, in the chapter Health Protection Measures as Barriers to EU Exports to China in the Framework of the WTO Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures: “Regulations that aim to protect the health of humans, animals, or plants against food-borne risks or risks from pests or diseases of plants and animals may create considerable market access barriers.” Indeed, as noted by the author, there are policy-makers that are dealing with health measures imposed in order to restrict the importation of certain food and agriculture products with the aim of protecting the local health of a respective country. But also, there is a second category of policy-makers that is looking toward increasing the international trade agri-food products.
The Clean Development Mechanism and its projects repartition.
In case you were an executive of a Western pharmaceutical company, would you invest in China? Francesca Spigarelli and Andrea Filippetti believe that you should definitely consider it.
Do you want to know more about Chinese participation in the international trade dynamics? Read Chapter 28 of China NTCs.
Doughnut or croissant? The freedom of choice is not self-evident in the movie industry, neither in Europe nor in China, argues Rogier Creemers in his chapter on cultural products and WTO with focus on China.
What is the correlation between consumerism and international trade? A China’s perspective by Professor Rossi
Does biotechnology represent a risk for food security? Check out the chapter written by Shujie Feng, Xin Shu, and Ningning Zhang
Why is the role of shale gas crucial towards a zero-carbon society? Chapter 16 of China NTCs presents the case of China is a comparative perspective.
Chapter 31 of China NTCs deals with the protection of consumers in an Asian perspective.
Biotechnology brings new problems to various fields, including science, technology, ethics, economics, and law, write Shujie Feng, Xin Shu, and Ningning Zhang in their chapter
A more fragmented international climate change practice has already led to tangible trade disputes.
Trade liberalization and health protection are objectives with major conflict potential, writes Denis Prévost
Why early Chinese BITs did not contain explicit references to sustainable development?
NTCs and consumer protection in China
Lorenzo di Masi reveals a unique approach to free trade agreements negotiation by ASEAN and China
Does free trade hamper cultural identity? Anselm Kamperman Sanders dedicates his chapter to this question
Francesco Sindico and Julie Gibson noted that: “The tension between measures aimed at mitigating climate change and trade rules is really just an element of the wider trade-environment debate.”
Paolo D. Farah e Riccardo Tremolada compare shale gas regulatory frameworks between China and the United States, and assess its impact on water rights, environmental protection and, more widely, sustainable development goals.
Professor Rossi investigates how Non-Trade Concerns (NTCs) affect and shape consumer protection in China.
Traditional Chinese Medicine is an attractive field for Western pharmaceutical companies.
Valentina Sara Vadi : “Chinese OFDI can boost the economy of host countries by supplying additional and resilient capital flows. Over the past few decades, China has lifted hundreds of millions of its people out of poverty by combining state intervention with economic incentives”.
Francesco Sindico and Julie Gibson in the chapter Soft, Complex, and Fragmented International Climate Change Practice: What Implications for International Trade Law noted that “the more specialized the international climate change legal regime, the more complex it becomes because of its requisite institutionalization.”
As noted by the authors Mark Klaver and Michael Trebilcock, in the chapter Chinese Investment in Africa: Strengthening the Balance Sheet: “China’s primary motivation for investing in Africa is to acquire oil and minerals. In 2004, China became the world’s second-largest consumer of petroleum, with total demand of 6.5 million barrels of oil per day.”
The importance of domestic policies in advancing a country’s technological development
Perhaps nowhere is the tension between the need to provide incentives for research and development into new medicines and the need to make medicines available more present than in relation to pharmaceutical patents, argues Jayashree Watal
The concept of “differential treatment” first appeared in the field of international trade in 1965. From that moment it has evolved, becoming a crucial notion in international environmental law.
The clash between the global North and South through the lens of a Chinese observer
Julien Chaisse and Xinjie Luan analyze and discuss the WTO dispute on the EU’s seal import ban
Valentina Sara Vadi explores the reasons why there are a limited number of disputes under Chinese BITs
WTO provides legal channels to challenge Chinese rules on the regulation of social media
In this paper, Professor Lemoine investigates the political implications and significance of the Kyoto Protocol, from the viewpoint of developing countries.
Chapter 17 of China NTCs deals with the Chinese perspective towards global governance
WTO as a battlefield for cultural wars? Not so far-fetched conclusion, argues Christophe Germann in his chapter
As noted by the authors Francesco Sindico and Julie Gibson in the chapter Soft, Complex, and Fragmented International Climate Change Practice: What Implications for International Trade Law: “The presence of different climate policies and strategies between groups of countries alongside the international climate change legal regime, and the difficult relationship between energy security and climate change policies, are fragmenting international efforts to curb climate change.” Indeed, as noted by the authors, the current international climate change regime is characterized by the existence of plenty of international rules and treaties that represent the outcome of the global negotiations which took place in the last decades between the different states with the hope of unifying the efforts for facing global warming.
Facebook: In her chapter on the right to food, Libiao Ning sheds also the light on the role of human rights in the Chinese culture #RightToFood #China Twitter: Sceptical about human rights in China? Libiao Ning´s chapter on the right to food might change your opinion #RightToFood #China
Pros and Cons of Soft Law in international climate change regime
China is the world’s third-largest pharmaceutical market and it will become the second-largest by 2020, second only to the United States.
How are CDM projects distributed and why?
Chinese investment in Africa has rapidly increased over the past two decades.
Ever wondered about the right to water in China? Roberto Soprano has some answers
What role has China got in fostering Non-Trade Concerns #NTCs at international level?
Would you like to know more about the issue of Chinese intellectual property enforcement and piracy?
The emerging role of China as a capital exporter contributes to the current debate about the interplay between international investment law and non-trade concerns.
Professor Zhixiong Huang on the problems and gaps of China's environmental protection system - and how to fix them.
By 2020, China is planning to have a basic health care system providing “safe, effective, convenient and affordable” health services to urban and rural residents.
The realization of NTCs at international level presupposes the existence of the co-called global constitutionalization of law. In this regard, it is important to shed light on the differences between rule of law and rule by law, argues Jean Yves Heurtebise
The fight against climate change is not limited to policies at the international or national level; many other issues, especially the lack of environmental awareness, need to be taken into consideration.
Professor Libiao on the right to food in China: cultural roots and future outlook
Chapter 21 of China NTCs deals with the steps China is making to ensure the right to water.
Professor Friedmann on Chinese social media policy and their impact on trade practices
As noted by Claudio Di Turi, in the chapter Economic Globalization and Social Rights: The Role of the International Labor Organization and the WTO: “While human rights advocates and ILO circles have repeatedly claimed that the introduction of a social clause could serve social rights, the WTO strongly refused to engage in discussions to establish a formal link between trade and human rights rules.” Indeed, as noted by the author, this debate has been on going for quite sometimes even though it is still unlikely that the World Trade Organization (WTO) would any time soon change its attitude towards this topic. In fact, the organization has repeatedly expressed its unwillingness to amend the trade agreements for the sake of including new provisions related to human rights.
Ever wondered what is the discussion concerning shale gas about? Check out the comparative analysis of shale gas in China and the US undertaken by Paolo Farah and Riccardo Tremolada.
China's long march towards the protection of social rights - the case of labor rights and judicial activism by Professor Choukroune
How China is shaping Africa's future? An analysis of pros and cons of Chinese direct investment in Africa
As noted by Angelica Bonfanti, in the chapter Multinational Corporations and Corporate Social Responsibility in a Chinese Context: An International Perspective: “The legislative measures passed in China in the field of environmental, human, and social rights protection contribute to adapting the domestic legal system to the international obligations”. Indeed, as noted by the author, it is obvious that the Chinese government has its own definition of the terms “environmental protection” and “human rights”, which means that the latter notions might or might not hold similar meaning under Chinese laws. For this reason, it is important to encourage the Chinese government to sign the international conventions as the state would be bound to respect these norms.
International negotiations concerning climate change are essential as global warming requires a common global response.
Chinese foreign direct investment in Africa: a deep analysis of the pros and cons by Mark Klaver and Michael Trebilcock
Check the latest legislative reforms on consumer law protection in China - do they work? An analysis by Professor Hu
Can corporate social responsibility be considered part of the Chinese regulation?
Should trade restriction be use to enforce human rights?
Chinese NGOs actively use the media to raise public awareness about climate change.
Valentina Vadi on China's role in promoting Non-Trade concerns in International Investment law. Should we be optimistic?
Professor Hu analyzes the regulation of product liability in China.
Professor Heurtebise explores the implications of China’s legal views on global governance and their contribution towards the growing importance of non-trade concerns in the international legal arena.
Elena Cima explores the impact of domestic policies in the fight against climate change, in particular their role in facilitating "green" technology transfer.
As noted by Angelica Bonfanti, in the chapter Multinational Corporations and Corporate Social Responsibility in a Chinese Context: An International Perspective: “The Principles of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Corporate Accountability refer to the role played by MNCs in protecting human rights and the environment as a result of their activities. Their legal model and basis can be found in various soft law instruments providing for standards of conduct for MNCs. Through their subjection to these non-binding standards of conduct, corporations – even if not, or not unanimously, considered as international subjects – are increasingly held accountable to international law.” Indeed, as noted by the author, short term gains should not have negative effects on other concerns such as the protection of the environment where the activities are taking place specially when the latters are of hazardous nature as well as ensuring the respect of human rights by securing for instance the safety of workers or prohibiting child labor and so on.
Corporate Social Responsibility and China? Two concepts at odds, or not?
An overview on IP Law and access to medicines
How to Uphold Corporate Social Responsibility Effectively?
October 25, 2022
Sometimes, companies pursue social and environmental goals with great publicity—this is particularly true whenever companies are responsible for or contribute to grievances. Activists and organizations are calling for greater transparency within the supply chains.