Obstacles and capacities in the European Union regarding the establishment of direct human rights obligations for transnational corporations

The recent increased role and capacities of transnational corporations on the one hand, and the lack of accountability towards human rights violation on the part of the mentioned corporations on the other, have provoked serious human rights concerns among human rights defenders. The unsuccessful experience of national legal systems, particularly those of developing states, to prevent human rights violations inflicted by such powerful entities is the main reason for raising the discussion on creating and imposing direct human rights obligations upon transnational corporations within both International Law and regional legal systems. The unique characteristics of the European Union i.e. The ability to enact and impose direct human rights and obligations for transnational corporations as well as its absolute commitment to human rights, have made The Union one of the most prominent pioneers in this field. With the use of descriptive and analytical method of study, this paper seeks to review the existing obstacles and capacities of the European Union in order to establish direct human rights commitments upon transnational corporations.