Business human-rights grievance mechanism delayed, Taiwan ministry responds

Taiwan’s planned system for handling corporate human-rights complaints outside the courts has yet to open, with the government saying detailed planning must wait for the publication of its second National Action Plan.

The Ministry of Economic Affairs said the National Contact Point, or NCP, is included in the draft of NAP 2.0. Relevant government agencies are speeding up their work, but the mechanism cannot be formally established until the Executive Yuan publishes the plan and its principles for setting up and operating the NCP.

The ministry described the NCP as a nonjudicial channel based on the model used by OECD member countries under the Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises on Responsible Business Conduct. It is intended to address disputes through mediation, dialogue and other forms of facilitation. It would not replace courts in determining legal responsibility or imposing penalties.

Taiwan is not an OECD member. The decision to include an NCP in NAP 2.0 followed suggestions made during workshops on the second version of Taiwan’s National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights in the previous two years.

Until the system is formally created, the ministry cannot accept cases under the NCP’s name. It said it would nevertheless pass on concerns raised by Indonesian stakeholders to relevant companies, while the economic division of Taiwan’s representative office in Indonesia would continue promoting respect for human rights and international standards among Taiwanese businesses there. The ministry also said Taiwan would work with like-minded countries and trade partners to protect labor rights and strengthen supply-chain resilience.