G8 DROPS PLAN FOR BUSINESS STANDARDS,
FAILS DEVELOPING NATIONS
MAY 16, 2003 - PARIS (FRANCE) -- Leaders
of the G8 group of
countries* have abandoned plans to announce
a ‘Charter of Principles
for a Responsible Market Economy’, Friends
of the Earth International
revealed today. The news emerges as G8
Finance Ministers meet today in
Deauville, France, in preparation for the G8
Summit of Heads of State
in the French Alpine resort of Evian from
June 1-3.
French President Jacques Chirac had
prioritized ‘Corporate Social
Responsibility’ as an issue at the G8, but
the ‘Charter of Principles’
proposal has been abandoned, throwing the
G8’s agenda into disarray.
Since making a commitment to corporate
accountability and
responsibility at last year’s United Nations
Earth Summit in
Johannesburg, some G8 governments have
pulled back from taking
measures to halt bad corporate
practices.
The US and UK Governments claim that
commitments they made at
the Johannesburg Summit relate to existing
feeble voluntary measures
and not to the ‘full development’ of an
international framework for
corporate accountability as promised. The G8
was set to make follow up
commitments to the Johannesburg commitments,
and the “Charter of
Principles” was set to be a concrete
centrepiece at the Evian Summit.
Instead of the ‘Charter of Principles’, G8
Finance Ministers and world
leaders are pressing for an investment
agreement under the World Trade
Organization (WTO) which would secure more
rights for multinationals
to take developing world countries to court
if these countries try to
improve operating standards or favour
national enterprises.
“It looks as though the power and
influence of big business is taking
precedence over the rights of affected
citizens and communities. The
G8 leaders are walking away from the
promises they made just a few
months ago in Johannesburg,” said Helene
Ballande of Friends of the
Earth France in Paris.
“Multinationals from the G8 countries are
involved in conflicts and
controversies all around the world. Leaders
from the G8 countries must
ensure that corporations are properly held
to account for their
offences,” Ballande added.
According to Bobby Peek of Friends of the
Earth South Africa, “The G8
has invited a few developing countries to
Evian this year, but the
reality is that this exclusive club of the
richest nations is simply
failing all developing countries.”
*NOTE TO EDITORS: The G8 comprises Britain,
Canada, France,
Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United
States.
FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
Friends of the Earth in Paris, FRANCE:
Helene Ballande:
+33-1- 48 513 222 (direct line) and +
33-6-77107125 (mobile)
Friends of the Earth in the US: Colleen
Freeman: +1-202 7837 400
Friends of the Earth in the UK: Matt
Phillips:
+44 7817 314 706 or (mobile); +44 20 7566
1660 (direct line)
Friends of the Earth in SOUTH AFRICA, Bobby
Peek:
+27-33-342 5662 (direct line); +27-82-464
1383 (mobile)
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