ISDS Case Map
human rights
Indonesia is currently a major perpetrator of human rights abuses against its own minority groups, specifically their LGBTQI community, which makes this partnership questionable in view of Australia’s signature on the UN Human Rights Charter.
The EU - Vietnam trade deal has simultaneously been criticized for rewarding a one-party state that is among Asia’s serial human rights abusers while making virtually no demands on Hanoi to improve its record.
European lawmakers have overwhelmingly approved free trade and investment deals between the EU and Vietnam, despite concerns about the human rights situation in the country.
The European Commission, which is responsible for negotiating the EU's free trade deals, recognises Vietnam's human rights record as a cause for concern. It stresses, however, that the deal will provide a platform to address such issues.
Despite Vietnam’s failure to meaningfully meet repeated requests for human rights improvements, a large majority in the International Trade Committee (INTA) voted in favour of granting swift consent to the agreements.
The Swiss government has delayed fully signing off on the expanded free-trade deal between EFTA and Turkey amid concern about human rights abuses.
Civil society organisations raise human rights concerns as UK seeks to roll over Morocco association agreement without due attention to the ongoing Moroccan occupation of Western Sahara.
In coming weeks, the European Parliament is expected to take a binding decision on whether to approve, postpone or reject the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and Investment Protection Agreement (IPA).
