FIFA is extremely pleased to see Hakeem Al-Araibi released from prison in Thailand and allowed to travel back to his home in Australia. This is the outcome we have worked for together with a broad coalition of human rights organisations, governments and the wider football community over the past two months.

“En histórica Audiencia ante la CIDH, indígenas y afrodescendientes denunciarán grave situación de homicidios y agresiones a líderes étnicos en Colombia” – 15 de febrero de 2019 …Según cifras de COHES, en el 2018 fueron asesinados en Colombia 146 líderes sociales. De éstos, 58 eran líderes de Pueblos étnicos. Es decir, el 40 por ciento […]

We, the undersigned members of the civil rights and racial justice community, write to ensure that civil rights retain a fundamental place in the ongoing online privacy debate, hearings, and legislation... [O]ur groups have continued to raise the alarm as data security and privacy abuses have disproportionately harmed marginalized communities, especially communities of color:... Employment […]

"The same data used to protect immigrants could be used to deport them," 11 February 2019 When... DACA... was implemented in 2012, Dreamer applicants were assured that their information would be “protected from disclosure to ICE and CBP for the purpose of immigration enforcement proceedings.”... [However,] many human rights advocates fear that because the Trump administration has […]

"Former garment workers protest sackings", 15 February 2019 More than 100 former workers from the W&D factory... held a protest to demand their reinstatement after they were sacked for inciting a strike. .. a Coalition of Cambodian Apparel Workers Democratic Union legal officer... said the company fired 1,200 workers last month after they went on […]

The Business and Human Rights Summer School addresses the main challenges of rising economic globalization, particularly within the context of business and human rights through issues such as: the role and obligations of States, the recent and emerging human rights-related legislation regulating corporate activities worldwide, and the access to effective remedies for victims of corporate-related […]

"How to tame a money manager," 6 Feb 2019 Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) and seven of his U.S. Senate colleagues wrote to many of America’s largest money managers demanding due diligence of the ways their portfolio companies affect environmental, social and governance risk... The senators are using their influence to emphasize the responsibility of investors as stewards of […]

Un curso sobre Empresas y Derechos Humanos organizado por Dejusticia Este es un innovador curso de empresas y derechos humanos que permite explorar un repertorio de posibilidades para responsabilizar grandes empresas—desde procesos de tratado hasta negociaciones directas, campañas públicas y abogacías. El curso combina doctrina, práctica y estrategias para implementar las protecciones a los derechos […]

Director-General Roberto Azevêdo was in Maputo, Mozambique, today (14 February), where he met President Filipe Nyusi. They discussed how to strengthen global trade cooperation for the future, through the WTO, so it can keep supporting the integration of Mozambique and other least developed countries (LDCs) into the global economy.

The WTO has issued a call for young economists to submit papers for the 2019 WTO Essay Award. The award aims to promote high-quality research on trade policy and international trade co-operation and to reinforce the relationship between the WTO and the academic community. Essays must be submitted by 31 May 2019.

The WTO Secretariat announced the launch of a new TRIPS notification submission system, an optional online tool for members to submit notifications, review materials and reports. The announcement was made at the meeting of the Council for Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) on 13 February, where members also discussed incentives for the transfer […]

WTO members took stock of progress in implementing the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) at the 12-13 February meeting of the Committee on Trade Facilitation a week before the second anniversary of the Agreement’s entry into force. Members called for the timely fulfilment of commitments and discussed efforts to help each other carry out the Agreement.

Speaking at a conference in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on 12 February 2018, entitled “The First FAO/WHO/AU International Food Safety Conference”, Director-General Roberto Azevêdo highlighted that food safety “is a central element of public health”. He noted that the WTO’s rules, such as the Sanitary and Phytosanitary Agreement and the Trade Facilitation Agreement, play a key […]

Deputy Director-General Alan Wolff welcomed 29 participants from 15 acceding governments attending the first Seminar on WTO Accession Rules from 4 to 15 February in Geneva. Speaking at a ceremony on 11 February, DDG Wolff highlighted the success of the accession process since the establishment of the WTO in 1995 and underlined the benefits membership […]

Director-General Roberto Azevêdo received today at the WTO Mr. Surya Deva, Ms. Anita Ramasastry, Ms. Elzbieta Karska and Mr. Dante Pesce, members of the United Nations Working Group on Business and Human Rights.

On 8 February 2019, a WTO arbitrator issued a decision on the level of trade suspension Korea may request in its dispute with the United States regarding US anti-dumping and countervailing duty measures on large residential washers from Korea (DS464).

Director-General Roberto Azevêdo welcomed the third cohort of WTO young professionals on 6 February. The 13 participants of the Young Professionals Programme were selected from more than 1,100 candidates after a competitive, merit-based selection process.

WTO members discussed preparations for the Aid for Trade (Aft) Global Review and implementation activities at the 6 February AfT session of the Committee on Trade and Development. Members also heard presentations from two workshops on how economies can better pursue environmentally sustainable growth and be better prepared with digital skills.

The Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has written a letter to Theresa May, demanding five changes to the Political Declaration which could secure Labour's support for the Brexit deal. Open Europe's Dominic Walsh and Aarti Shankar examine Corbyn's proposals, whether they are negotiable with the Government and the EU, and the broader political consequences.The post Assessing […]

In a new briefing note, Open Europe's Stephen Booth, Dominic Walsh, David Shiels and Aarti Shankar consider what changes to the current backstop would be both negotiable with the EU and command the support of MPs.The post Options for renegotiating the backstop appeared first on Open Europe.

Open Europe's Henry Newman gave evidence to the House of Lords EU select committee on January 29. Below is a brief summary of the session.The post Are the UK and the EU27 prepared for No Deal? appeared first on Open Europe.

Speaking to France 24 News on January 30, Open Europe’s Henry Newman assessed the prospects of breaking the deadlock over the Irish backstop in the Withdrawal Agreement.The post Theresa May cannot bring back exact same Brexit deal appeared first on Open Europe.

Open Europe's Pieter Cleppe appeared on Al Jazeera Inside Story to discuss UK-EU negotiations on January 30, alongside Catherine McBride and Jonathan Lis.The post What is Theresa May’s next Brexit move? appeared first on Open Europe.

Open Europe’s Dominic Walsh analyses whether Theresa May can engage in future negotiations with the EU over the Irish backstop on TRT World News.The post Extending Article 50 has to have a purpose appeared first on Open Europe.

Open Europe's Henry Newman appeared on BBC News alongside journalist Dawn Foster on January 29, discussing the parliamentary votes on amendments to the Withdrawal Agreement.The post What can the UK and the EU agree on the Irish backstop? appeared first on Open Europe.

In a discussion with Mark Carruthers and Irish Senator Neale Richmond, Open Europe's Henry Newman assessed the possibility of tweaking the Irish backstop in order to gain the support of some MPs. He appeared on BBC Northern Ireland's Sunday Politics programme on January 27.The post MPs need to be clear about changes to the Irish […]

MPs voted overwhelmingly against the Brexit deal last week, but could any outcome command a majority in the House of Commons? Open Europe’s Dominic Walsh takes a look at the numbers.The post Crunching the numbers: is there a Parliamentary majority for anything? appeared first on Open Europe.

Two groups of cross-party MPs have tabled legislation aimed at preventing a No Deal Brexit – but can they actually achieve this goal? Open Europe’s Anthony Egan and Dominic Walsh take a look.The post Are MPs close to ruling out a No Deal Brexit? appeared first on Open Europe.