The Dutch Banking Agreement on Human Rights: a blueprint for EU governance?

The Dutch government, banking sector, civil society organizations and trade unions have committed in an agreement to do their utmost to collectively ensure that Dutch banks do not enable human rights violations through financing harmful corporate activities around the world. This Dutch Banking Sector Agreement on International Responsible Business Conduct regarding Human Rights (2016) builds on the understanding that multistakeholder collaboration is fundamental to meaningfully address protection of human rights in our global economy. The chapter examines the potential of this multistakeholder governance model for regulating international responsible business conduct at the EU level. EU multistakeholder governance of international responsible business conduct would foster a level playing field in the service of protection of human rights, enhance democratic governance and normalize an ethos of taking responsibility both for one’s potential, on the one hand, to negatively impact on society and to be a force for good, on the other.