Human Rights and Export Credit Agencies : An Analysis of the Implementation of International Human Rights Guidelines in the European Context

Abstract

This dissertation explores the intersecting topic of human rights and national export credit agencies (ECAs). As organisations actively seeking to promote foreign trade and investment, these organisations are in a prime position to set the bar for human rights conduct of Western corporations abroad. In order to evaluate ECAs’ human rights conduct, this thesis analyses how three European ECAs implement the OECD Common Approaches for Officially Supported Export Credits and Environmental and Social Due Diligence and the United Nation Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. The analysis concludes that while compliance with the OECD Common Approaches is high, there are numerous gaps in the realization of the Guiding Principles.