MEDIA ADVISORY
Friends of the Earth International
May 8, 2006
european corporations under fire for
violations in latin america
BRUSSELS (BELGIUM) / VIENNA (AUSTRIA), May
8 2006 – Several European corporations will
come under fire this week during an
alternative Europe-Latin America gathering
held in parallel to the European Union (EU) -
Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) Summit
hosted by Austria, the current president of
the EU. [1]
At the May 12 EU-LAC Summit in Vienna,
heads of state will discuss plans to further
trade and investment agreements between the
two trading blocs. They are under pressure
from business leaders meeting on May 11-13 to
voice business' urgent requests with regards
to bi-lateral trade relations and direct
investment.' [2]
Conversely, participants in the
alternative summit want EU and LAC leaders to
stop promoting the free trade agenda, and
organized a May 10-11 ‘People's Tribunal on
Human Rights violations' perpetrated by
European corporations in Latin America and
the Caribbean. [3]
Friends of the Earth groups from Europe
and Latin America participate in the
alternative summit and summoned four European
companies to the human rights Tribunal in
Vienna for their involvement in social,
environmental and human rights violations in
Latin America and the Caribbean.
‘The Tribunal indicates that many European
companies are causing social and
environmental problems in Latin America and
the Caribbean. Heads of state should discuss
ways to hold companies accountable and to
strengthen the rights of affected
communities, instead of pushing for more
harmful liberalization' said Paul de Clerck
of Friends of the Earth International.
THE FOUR CORPORATIONS SUMMONED BY FRIENDS
OF THE EARTH GROUPS ARE:
VION FOOD GROUP
Vion Food Group from the Netherlands - one
of the largest vendors of pork products and a
market leader in the beef sector- is the
biggest meat slaughterhouse in Europe. Its
pig feed mainly comes from soy from Brazil.
The soy production results in large scale
deforestation of the Amazon, violation of
human rights, eviction of local farmers and
pollution from pesticides.
SUEZ
In Uruguay, for the past eight years the
French water and energy giant Suez provided
water services in the Maldonado department,
via its Spanish subsidiary Aguas de
Barcelona. In that time, water prices have
risen for up to 700%, excluding a large part
of the poor population from access to
water.
ANDRITZ AG
Andritz AG from Austria is world leader
for wood processing machinery. The company is
involved in controversial pulp and paper
projects in Brazil, Chile and Uruguay,
resulting in destruction of rainforest,
severe pollution and conflicts with the local
population. Andrtiz delivered the machinery
to a paper mill in Uruguay which has recently
led to large scale protests and to an
international conflict between the
governments of Uruguay and Argentina. These
countries have now taken this case to the
International Court of Justice in the
Netherlands.
UNION FENOSA
Electricity group Unión Fenosa from Spain
has branches in Guatemala, Nicaragua, Mexico,
Costa Rica, Panama and Colombia. The company
is accused of illegal actions such as cutting
off people from the electricity grid without
prior notification, violations of
international labor agreements, intimidation
of local leaders and other human rights
violations.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Paul de Clerck, Friends of the Earth
International, Tel: +32-47310147 (Belgian
cell)
Daniel Hausknost, Friends of the Earth
Austria/Global 2000 (for the Andritz case):
tel: +43-69914200019 (Austrian cell)
Michiel van Geelen Friends of the Earth
Netherlands/Milieudefensie (for the Vion Food
case): Tel: +31-636137277 (Dutch cell)
Carlos Santos, Friends of the Earth
Uruguay/REDES (for the Suez Uruguay case)
Tel: +32-498 492563 (Belgian cell only May
10-14)
Juan Pablo Soler, Friends of the Earth
Colombia/CENSAT (for the Union Fenosa case)
Tel: +32-498 492563 (Belgian cell only May
10-14)
NOTES
[1] Official Summit web pages:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/world/lac-vienna/index.htm
and
http://www.uealc.at/
[2] Business Summit web pages:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/world/lac-vienna/events/business.htm
and
http://www.austriantrade.org/eulac2006/
[3] Alternative Summit and Tribunal web
page:
http://www.alternativas.at/
|
