German Safeguards of Labor Rights Leave Loopholes for Corporate Abuse Abroad

People working for German national firms abroad must be given better options to protect their rights in German courts, according to Amnesty International Germany’s chief Markus Beeko.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Rules set by the German cabinet on Wednesday to ensure that national firms respect human rights abroad are not tough enough, German rights advocacy groups said.

"People must be given better options to protect their rights in German courts," Amnesty International Germany’s chief Markus Beeko said. "It is crucial to better guarantee class action or at least significantly extend prescriptive periods. The National Action Plan lacks these efficient measures."

The National Action Plan for Business and Human Rights was adopted after two years of talks. It builds on the pledges made by G7 leaders in the 2015 summit declaration in Elmau, Bavaria, where they called on business to improve working conditions and complaint mechanisms.

Amnesty said in a statement shared by Oxfam Germany, Misereor and other watchdogs that the plan adopted on Wednesday was much less ambitious than 2015 goals.

Misereor senior executive Pirmin Spiegel criticized the federal government for showing less resolve to uphold human rights than to negotiate favorable terms on behalf of corporate business during international talks on free trade.