STUDY DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS ARMS TRADE AND CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY Liability, Litigation and Legislative Reform Christian Schliemann, Linde Bryk November 2019 The defence industry is not living up to its responsibilities under the United Nations Guiding Prin­ciples on Business and Human Rights and the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises. Legal analysis shows that arms exports can be challenged in court and that industry repre­sentatives and government offi­cials may be criminally liable if arms exports are authorized and then exported to buyers who use the arms in violation of in­ternational human rights and humanitarian law. This study makes recommenda­tions to the defence sector on human rights due diligence, and to states on effective arms ex­port controls that recognize business’ human rights responsi­bilities and enable civil society to act as watchdog over govern­ment decision-making and corporate exports, including through legal redress.