Policy work pushes for the better use of existing laws for businesses operating abroad and calls for new laws where none exist. 

Recent highlights include:

UK universal jurisdiction law

Proposed changes to the UK’s arrest warrant procedure would prevent the issuing of private arrest warrants and place the responsibility for this in the hands of the Attorney General. These warrants allow victims of serious international crimes to initiate prosecutions; the proposed changes could greatly restrict victims’ access to justice, and politicise the decision-making process in such cases. Global Witness and its partners in the UK Universal Jurisdiction Group raised these concerns in a briefing submitted to Parliamentarians in 2009.

Brussels I regulation

The Brussels I regulation oversees which courts have jurisdiction in legal disputes between European Union and European Free Trade Association (EFTA) residents. The UK Government has called for a mechanism enabling such proceedings to be transferred to courts in other countries. This would greatly hinder the ability of victims of human rights abuses overseas to seek retribution, as outlined in a briefing paper submitted to the European Commission in 2010, by Global Witness and partners.

Submission to International Commission of Jurists

Global Witness’ experience of on-the-ground investigations into corporate activities in conflict zones has given us a first-hand understanding of the difficulties in legally proving that corporate activity has contributed to serious human rights abuses. This 2006 submission to the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) Expert Legal Panel outlines the limitations of the existing legal situation as we have experienced it, and offers guidance for future legal analysis of such investigations.