United Kingdom

The UK 2013 NAP

The State’s Duty to Protect Human Rights 

The existing UK legal and policy framework

Actions taken

iii) negotiated and agreed the OECD 2012 Common Approaches, including a requirement for Export Credit Agencies (ECAs) to take into account not only potential environmental impacts but also social impacts, which is defined to include “relevant adverse project-related human rights impacts.” The OECD 2012 Common Approaches also require ECAs to “consider any statements or reports made publicly available by their National Contact Points (NCPs) at the conclusion of a specific instance procedure under the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises.” UK Export Finance will consider any negative final NCP statements a company has received in respect of its human rights record when considering a project for export credit. UK 2016 updated NAP

2. The State’s Duty to Protect Human Rights 

Actions taken [page 8]

17. To give effect to the UN Guiding Principles, the Government has:  (…)

(ii) implemented the requirements of the OECD 2012 Common Approaches, and considered relevant adverse project-related human rights impacts in providing applicable Export Credit Agency (ECA) support through UK Export Finance (UKEF). UKEF will consider any reports made publicly available by the UK National Contact Point (NCP) in respect of the human rights record of a company when considering a project for export credit. The UK has been involved with the discussions, and negotiations, on the implementation of the OECD 2012 Common Approaches and the need to amend this, in respect of ongoing experience on project-related human rights. The UK continues to be involved in negotiations on any agreed clarifications to the OECD 2012 Common Approaches