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- Paper Pulp Mills - Uruguay
- Corporate Accountability and Human Rights
- Climate Change and Human Rights
Finnish National Contact Point Accepts OECD Complaint Against Botnia
Paris June 20, 2006. The Finnish National Contact Point, responsible for receiving complaints made agasint Finnish companies for alleged violations of the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, met yesterday with CEDHA in Paris (during the course of the OECD meeting of National Contact Points) and informed that they had reviewed the Specific Instance filed by CEDHA against Botnia last April, in which CEDHA alleged violations by Botnia to General Guideline Policies, Human Rights violations, violations to Disclosure obligations, OECD environmental guidelines, and particularly, "that the project in not contributing to social and environmental progress with a view to achieving sustainable development".
CEDHA met with Jorma Immonen, Chief Counsellor of the Industries Department of the Ministry of Trade and Industry of Finland (responsible for the Finnish NCP), with Sten Ruud of the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and with Lennart Killander Larsson of the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, of the respective NCPs of Norway and Sweden, to which CEDHA and a group of scandinavian NGOs are imminently to file a new OECD Specific Instance Complaint against Nordea for its lack of transparency, it failure to show it is guaranteeing respect for human rights and compliance with the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Corporations. Nordea is set to act as financial coordinator for the Finnish Papermill.
Other meetings during CEDHAs whirlwind tour through Europe on the papermill case, included discussions with Calyon of France, which is also propped up to support Botnia (although Calyon has suggested that it is awaiting decision by the IFC as to whether it will finance the mills), Credit Agricole (one of the mother companies of Calyon), BBVA of Spain (which is to support the other controversial mill of Spanish origin, ENCE.
Another Specific Instance was also recently filed by CEDHA against Finnvera, the Finnish Export Credit Agency, for its stated support of the Botnia project. The Finnish NCP acceptance of the Specific Instance filed by CEDHA raises pressure on Botnia and the overall political and financial viability of the investments. CEDHA has been invited to meet with Botnia in Finland during the course of the next NCP meetings in Finland in August.
More Information
For more information contact:
Jorge Daniel Taillant
Center for Human Rights and Environment (CEDHA)
Tel. 54 3541 494 162
Cel. 54 9 351 625 3290
jdtaillant@cedha.org.ar
