The United States remains committed to upholding human rights as a central pillar of its foreign policy. The Export Controls and Human Rights Initiative (ECHRI), launched during the inaugural Summit for Democracy as part of the Presidential Initiative for Democratic Renewal, represents a concerted multilateral effort to counter the misuse of goods and technology by both state and non-state actors that results in human rights violations.
During the Year of Action following the first Summit, the United States took a leadership role in establishing a voluntary, nonbinding written code of conduct. This code outlines political commitments by Subscribing States, with the aim of applying export control mechanisms to prevent the proliferation of goods, software, and technologies that have the potential to enable serious human rights abuses. Developed collaboratively with partner countries, the Code of Conduct serves to complement existing multilateral commitments and contributes to regional and international security and stability.
In addition to the United States, the governments that have endorsed this voluntary Code of Conduct include Albania, Australia, Bulgaria, Canada, Costa Rica, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Ecuador, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Japan, Kosovo, Latvia, The Netherlands, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Republic of Korea, Slovakia, Spain, and the United Kingdom. Furthermore, the Code of Conduct remains open for participation by all Summit for Democracy attendees.
Key provisions within the Code of Conduct call for Subscribing States to:
- Consider human rights implications when evaluating potential exports of dual-use goods, software, or technologies that could be misused for serious human rights violations or abuses.
- Engage in consultations with representatives from the private sector, academia, and civil society to address human rights concerns and enhance the effective implementation of export control measures.
- Foster information sharing among participating states regarding emerging threats and risks associated with the trade of goods, software, and technologies that raise human rights concerns.
- Promote the sharing of best practices in the development and implementation of export controls for dual-use goods and technologies susceptible to misuse, reexport, or transfer in ways that could lead to human rights violations or abuses.
- Encourage their respective private sectors to conduct due diligence in accordance with national laws and international standards, such as the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, and extend support to non-subscribing states in their pursuit of similar objectives.
- Strive to enhance the capacity of non-subscribing states to align with the principles of the Code of Conduct in accordance with their national programs and procedures.
Building upon the initial endorsements of the ECHRI Code of Conduct by States at the Summit for Democracy, efforts will continue to seek additional endorsements from other states. Plans include convening a meeting later this year with Subscribing States to initiate discussions on the practical implementation of the commitments outlined in the Code of Conduct. Ongoing engagement with relevant stakeholders, including the private sector, civil society, academia, and the technical community, will also be prioritized in the pursuit of these objectives.
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