European multipliers training on ISDS and corporate accountability

November 19 and 20, Brussels

+++Please register below+++

In early 2019, a large alliance of civil society organisations will start a European campaign to shift the position of the European Union on corporate rights and people’s rights.

We will campaign to end the EU and member states’ support for super-rights and access to parallel courts for foreign investors; and ensure the EU and member states support for national, European and international binding obligations for investors.

From November 19 to 20, the Seattle to Brussels Network , Handel Anders – Coalitie voor duurzame & eerlijke handel (NL), Friends of the Earth Europe,  Anders Handeln (Austria), Institute for Global Responsibility (Poland), Collectif Stop TAFTA (France), Campana No a los tratados de comercio e inversión (Spanish State), Netzwerk Gerechter Welthandel (Germany), Corporate Europe Observatory, European Coalition for Corporate Justice, Global Campaign to Reclaim Peoples Sovereignty, Dismantle Corporate Power and Stop Impunity and the Transnational Institute are convening a two days multipliers training for activists and campaigners, from all EU member states.

At the end of the training :

  • Trade campaigners will understand the language, strategies and narratives used by campaigners working on corporate impunity and accountability;
  • Corporate campaigners will understand ISDS, the language, strategies and narratives used by trade & investment campaigners;
  • Participants will be able to express the key messages and narratives of the joint campaign, including both angles; and to address the main arguments from proponents of corporate rights, and opponents of corporate accountability mechanisms.

The multipliers training will be followed by a one day strategy session.

The training will take place in 11.11.11, 11, Rue de la Linière in Brussels.

Draft Agenda

09:30 Arrival & coffee
10-10:45 Welcome, introduction to the program, expectations, getting to know each other
10:45-11:30 Parallel introductions to ISDS & corporate accountability:

  • On ISDS : history of investment protection, key concepts, main problems, current state of the ISDS regime
  • On corporate accountability: key concepts, main demands, past and present initiatives at the different levels (national, EU-level, UN level)
11:30-11:45 Coffee break
11:45-13:00

Presentation of the campaign against ISDS & for corporate accountability – including Q&A
13:00-14:00 Lunch
14:00-15:30 3 parallel working groups

  1. Environment (including mining and energy)
  2. Labour
  3. Human rights

The groups will focus on the impact of ISDS on each specified topic (case studies, companies involved, affected communities), put in perspective with the rules and remedies on each topic advocated for in the various corporate accountability initiatives.
15:30-16:00 Coffee break
16:00-17:00 3 parallel issue specific working groups:

  1.  Binding Treaty on Transnational Corporations and Human rights : content, process and perspectives
  2. Access to justice for affected communities vs. the EU’s global corporate court (MIC)
  3. tba
17:00-17:15 Coffee break
17:15-18:00 Collection of highlights & open questions
19:00 Joint dinner

 

20 November 2018: Training day II

09:00 Arrival & coffee
09:30-10:30 Addressing open questions from the previous day
10:30-10:45 Coffee
10:45-12:30 Joint argumentation training part I
12:30-13:30 Lunch
13:30-15:00 Joint argumentation training part II
15:00-15:30 Coffee
15:30-16:30 Joint outlook
16:30-17:00 Joint wrap up and feedback on the training
19:00-21:00 Possible public event/ debate

THE TRAINING IS FULL!!

If you did not register on time, you can still try to get in touch with martin at s2bnetwork . org and see whether some people canceled their participation.