This well-researched book examines how the European Union could do more to ensure that EU-based multinational enterprises (MNEs) respect human rights when operating in third world countries. Alexandra Gatto identifies the primary obligations of MNEs as developed by international law, and investigates how the EU has promoted the respect of human rights obligations by the MNEs to date. The significant gap between the EU's commitment to the respect and promotion of human rights, the potential to regulate the conduct of MNEs, and the EU's reluctance to impose human rights obligations on MNEs, is thoroughly explored. It is suggested that the current human rights law should be developed, and this timely book recommends that the EU should firmly link the promotion of MNEs' human rights obligations to international human rights law, thereby supporting the constitution of an international law framework within the UN. Multinational Enterprises and Human Rights will be of very great interest to scholars of EU or International Human Rights as well as NGOs and policy makers in international organizations and corporations that support corporate social responsibility and human rights. Contents: Introduction Part I: Multinational Enterprises and Human Rights: The International Legal Framework 1. Theoretical Framework 2. Multinational Enterprises as Addresses of International Law 3. MNEs and International Human Rights Law Part II: MNEs and Human Rights in the European Union 4. Multinational Enterprises in the Present European Union System and the Emergence of Corporate Social Responsibility 5. Internal Measures Addressed to MNEs 6. External Measures Addressed to MNEs Part III: MNEs and Human Rights in the External Relations of the European Union 7. The External Relations of the European Union, MNEs and Human Rights 8. Measures Addressed to Host States in the Development and Cooperation of the European Union 9. Measures Addressed to Host States in the Common Commercial Policy of the European Union Part IV: General Conclusions 10. Conclusions Bibliography Index