Find here the full text and the summary of the advisory legal opinion delivered by the Monsanto Tribunal judges in The Hague on April 18th 2017.
The International Monsanto Tribunal is a unique "Opinion Tribunal" convened by civil society to clarify the legal obligations and consequences of some of the activities of the Monsanto Company.
During the hearings that took place on October 15th and 16th in The Hague, judges heard testimonies related to the six questions posed to the Tribunal. The ensuing legal opinion delivered by the Tribunal includes a legal analysis of the questions asked, with respect to both existing international law, and to prospective law in order to improve international human rights and environmental law. The advisory opinion is structured in three parts:
I. The introductory section details the conditions within which the Tribunal was initiated.
II. The middle section examines the six questions posed to the Tribunal. Looking at the broader picture.
III. The final section tackles the growing asymmetry between the rights conceded to corporations and the constraints imposed upon them to protect local communities and/or future generations, wherever corporations operate.