Adoption of Maastricht Principles on Extra-Territorial Obligations

CIEL welcomes the adoption of the Maastricht Principles on Extra-Territorial Obligations (ETOs) of States in the area of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. These international legal principles clarify the human rights obligations of States beyond their own borders.

The Maastricht Principles constitute the outcome of the deliberations of a group of 40 distinguished experts in international law and human rights from all regions of the world.  The expert group includes present and former members of international human rights treaty bodies; present and former special procedures mandate holders of the United Nations Human Rights Council; and leading academic and civil society legal experts. The experts met in Maastricht from 26 to 28 September 2011 at a conference co-convened by the Maastricht University and the International Commission of Jurists and considered legal analysis conducted over a period of four years by the ETO Consortium, consisting of academic, civil society and other independent experts on economic, social and cultural rights.

For several years CIEL has engaged the process leading to the adoption of the Maastricht Principles on Extra-Territorial Obligations (ETOs).  CIEL participated in the Maastricht conference in September 2011 that adopted the ETO Principles.  Dr. Marcos Orellana, Director of CIEL's Human Rights and Environment Program, also joined the work of the drafting group that prepared the initial draft of principles considered by the Maastricht conference.  Further, CIEL has participated in the work of the Consortium on Extra-territorial obligations.

See the press release by the Maastricht Centre for Human Rights of Maastricht University and the International Commission of Jurists regarding the Maastricht Principles on Extra-Territorial Obligations (ETOs) of States in the area of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

For more information, please contact Marcos Orellana.