Business and Human Rights at the International Law Association Vienna Conference – Day 2
Another full day of substantive discussions and valuable encounters at the 82nd Biennial Conference of the International Law Association in Vienna.
Today’s closed session of the ILA Committee on Business and Human Rights provided an important opportunity to talk about the work completed so far and to look ahead to the next stages of the Committee’s programme.
A central part of the discussion concerned the Interim Report on Access to Remedies and Reparations, which examines the different avenues available for addressing business-related human rights abuses—including civil, administrative, criminal, and constitutional mechanisms—and the continuing challenges created by transnational corporate activity, jurisdiction, applicable law, and enforcement.
We also discussed progress on Work Stream 2, concerning domestic and regional legislation on corporate human rights obligations, and Work Stream 3, which turns to the role of private law in structuring responsible business conduct through contract law, corporate governance, corporate finance, and private international law. The discussion highlighted how these fields can shape responsibility and accountability across transnational value chains, corporate groups, and financing relationships. I look forward to contributing to both work streams, which are closely aligned with my ongoing work and developing research agenda.
The session was also an opportunity to look forward to the Committee’s next phases of work, including further topics and work streams and the next in-person meeting in 2027.
Beyond the formal sessions, the encounters and conversations continue: about the new ILA Study Group on International Law, Global Challenges, and the Impact of Emerging Powers on Global Governance, about the ILA more generally and the work of the Committees and Study Group, and about ongoing and future academic initiatives—from new papers and research projects to the Rome Summer Law Institute 2027.
These are among the aspects I value most about conferences such as this one: formal institutional work is complemented by conversations across fields, jurisdictions, generations, and projects, often creating connections and opportunities for ongoing and future collaboration.
The days in Vienna continue to be full of substance, exchanges, ideas, and meetings, with more still to come.
#InternationalLaw #BusinessAndHumanRights #HumanRights #CorporateAccountability #AccessToRemedy #CorporateGovernance #PrivateLaw #HumanRightsDueDiligence #GlobalGovernance #ILA2026 #InternationalLawAssociation #Vienna
Pictures with Lucas Lixinski, Matjaz Nahtigal Anastasia Telesetsky, Group Pictures with Peter Yu, Humberto Cantú Rivera Markus Krajewski, Dr Catherine Pédamon Caroline Lichuma Oonagh Fitzgerald and many others – feel free to tag them in the comments!
Paolo Farah, Paolo Davide Farah