The 13th Forum on Business and Human Rights took place this week in Geneva, continuing its role as a key platform for discussing global trends in this field since its inception in 2012. This year, the Forum brought together participants from over 100 countries, including representatives of governments, the private sector, civil society, academia, and trade unions. The event focused on exploring the concept of a “smart mix of measures” as a critical approach to advancing the implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs).
This year’s Forum examined challenges and opportunities arising from the combination of national, international, voluntary, and mandatory measures to protect human rights.
ASTRA Director Marija Andjelkovic participated in a session titled “Smart Mix of Measures and Implications of European Legislative Developments in Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia.” 
During the session, experts and representatives from governments, the private sector, and civil society analyzed the practical implications of regulatory changes in the European Union and their impact on countries in Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
“The adoption of key EU regulations, such as the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), as well as requirements under the EU AI Act and the Council of Europe Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights, has set new standards to which these countries must adapt,” the session’s overview stated.
The varying levels of integration of these countries with the European Union—whether through membership, aspirations for accession, or close political and economic ties—further drive this trend.
Zsofia Kerecsen, Team Leader for Corporate Governance Policy at DG JUST of the European Commission, emphasized, “Member states are encouraged not to wait for the directive’s implementation deadlines but to start establishing laws, policies, and mechanisms as soon as possible.”
ASTRA Director Marija Andjelkovic highlighted the importance of international documents and legislation in other countries that can serve as a model for Serbia.
“International instruments and mechanisms such as the ILO, GRETA, TIP Report, the EU directive, and particularly national EU legislation like Germany’s and France’s laws regulating this area are instrumental in protecting workers’ rights in countries like Serbia, which currently lacks a legal framework for due diligence,” said Andjelkovic.
In her closing remarks, the ASTRA representative stressed that EU countries should adopt a “Leave no one behind” principle when implementing the Due Diligence Directive. This would enable candidate countries to adopt human rights-respecting policies in supply chains, addressing violations occurring in practice.
In addition to Marija Anđelković and Zsofia Kerecsen, speakers at the session included Jan Sobczak from the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Alise Artamonova, Associate at COBALT Legal, and Nina Tevdorashvili, ESG Manager at Akhalkalaki Hydroelectric Power Plant.
The Forum on Business and Human Rights is chaired by the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights and organized by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).