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BELGIAN GOVERNMENT BOYCOTTS TOTALET
- Subject: BELGIAN GOVERNMENT BOYCOTTS TOTALET
- From: darnott@xxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 31 Aug 2000 14:09:00
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Hello, is there anybody out there?
(re-send of the docs on Belgium cancelling its TotalElfFina contract)
I am somewhat surprised at the (almost) deafening silence from Burma=
activists
et al in response to what is one of the most important moves in the=20
struggle to
isolate Burma economically. Perhaps all eyes are fixed on the bucolic scene
outside Rangoon, with its military paparazzi (if SPDC has provided a=20
portable toilet,
will there be a hidden camera, do you think?). Not that this is not=20
potentially a key
moment in Burma's history, but it is sometimes possible to be aware of more=
=20
than
one thing in the course of a day or so. Or perhaps everyone is away on=
holiday.
The point, to spell it out, is that here is a government (not a city, not=
=20
even a US state),
for the first time, so far as I know, cancelling a contract with a=20
company, partly national,
therefore risking the accusation of sacrificing jobs, because of its=20
unethical activities in
Burma -- Burma in this case, but the principle has a broader scope.
The Government of Belgium is thus pointing the way to its fraternal=
governments
of France, the UK (with its "ethical foreign policy"), Germany, various=20
Scandinavian
countries etc. and increasing the moral pressure on them to do likewise.=20
And the
example is not limited to Europe. As anyone who has been even marginally=20
involved
in getting the US Govt to take firm action on Burma (as opposed to firm=20
speech) will
know, one of the ritual chants arising from Washington DC is that the US=20
cannot act
alone, that its European colleagues should act as well. So, here we are --=
=20
action.
However, since governments are generally somewhat hard of hearing, it is up=
=20
to the
activists, trade unionists, friendly parliamentarians, journalists and=20
others, to din it
into them, and urge emulation.
And while people are using the example of Belgium to beef up their=20
campaigns on their
governments, it might be worth remembering that the Belgian parliament is=20
the only
one which as a body (not groups of parliamentarians as in some Scandinavian
countries) has formally endorsed the CRPP. Emulation on this should also be
encouraged.
So, here they are again:
Le Soir, August 30
Burma: The Belgian government turns its back on TotalFinaElf
The Belgian Government decided on Tuesday to maintain its petroleum supply=
=20
contract with the petroleum Group TotalFinaElf, but to limit its duration=20
to one year. This follows a boycott call by four ministers of the Ecology=20
Party in view of the Group's activities in Burma, a country ruled by a=20
military junta. Luc Van Den Bossche, Minister for Public Administration,=20
announced that the supply contract with TotalFinaElf, valid for a year from=
=20
September 1st, and though in principle renewable twice, in fact will not be=
=20
renewed. From now on, when bids are prepared for the supply of goods and=20
services to federal administrations, ethical criteria will be taken into=20
account. He said that contracts will not be be signed with companies which=
=20
support dictatorial regimes.
(see below for the French text of this article, plus a statement by the=20
Belgian Ministry of Public Administration)
Ethical Criteria to Guide Company Contracts with Government
xPATs, Aug.30
Companies that deliver goods to the Government must from now on comply with=
=20
ethical criteria.
This was announced by Minister Luc Van den Bossche in response to the=20
TotalFina affair.
TotalFina was chosen to deliver fuel to government services. Green party=20
ministers are now
refusing to get their petrol from the company because it is believed to=20
have connections with
the military regime in Burma.
The contract with TotalFina will not be suspended because a break-off could=
=20
lead to
a high damages claim. Instead, the contract will be limited to a year. From=
=20
January,
the government will contract its petrol cards out to another company, one=20
that complies
with ethical criteria, promises Van den Bossche. The contract with=20
TotalFina is worth
over 11 million euros.
TotalFinaElf boycotted by 4 Belgian ministers over Myanmar links
AFX, Brussels, 28 August> The government's four Ecology Party ministers,=20
including
Transport Minister Isabelle Durant, said they will boycott using=20
TotalFinaElf fuel in
their cars due to the company's business links with Myanmar.
Durant, Health Minister Magda Alvoet, secretary of state for cooperation=20
Eddy Boutmans and
secretary of state for energy Olivier Deleuze said they made their decision=
=20
after TotalFinaElf
signed a contract to be the official fuel supplier for government vehicles.
FRENCH TEXTS
Le Soir, 30 Aout
Birmanie
Le gouvernment belge tourne le dos a TotalFinaElf
Le gouvernment belge a decide mardi de maintenir son contrat de livraison=20
d' essence avec le groupe petrolier TotalFinaElf, mais de limiter sa duree=
=20
a un an, apres l' appel au boycott lance par quatre ministres ecologistes=20
en raison des activites du groupe en Birmanie, sous la coupe d' une junte=20
militaire. Le ministre de la Fonction publique Luc Van Den Bossche a=20
annonce que le contrat avec TotalFinaElf, couvrant une annee a partir du=20
1er septembre et en principe deux fois renouvelable, ne sera pas reconduit.=
=20
Dorenavant, lors de la redaction de toutes les offres pour la fourniture de=
=20
biens et de services aux administrations federales, des criteres ethiques=20
seront pris en compte. Il est exclu que des contrats soient conclus avec=20
des entreprises qui soutiennent des regimes dictatoriaux, a-t-il indique.
****************************
CABINET DU MINISTRE DE LA FONCTION PUBLIQUE
ET DE LA MODERNISATION DE L=92ADMINISTRATION
Residence Palace
Rue de la Loi 155 (9e etage)
1040 Bruxelles
Tel (+32-2) 233 0511;
Fax (+32-2) 233 0590
Email kabinet-cabinet@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Bruxelles, le 29 ao=FBt 2000
Ministre Luc Van den Bossche : dor=E9navant =E9galement des crit=E8res=
=E9thiques=20
lors de la s=E9lection d'entreprises qui fournissent aux Administrations=20
F=E9d=E9rales.
Le Ministre de la Fonction Publique et de la Modernisation de=20
l'Administration, Luc Van den Bossche a pris l'initiative d'ajouter =E0=20
l'avenir aux crit=E8res de s=E9lection de tous les march=E9s publics=
=E9galement=20
des crit=E8res =E9thiques. Cette initiative est une premi=E8re et unique=
dans le=20
cadre des march=E9s publics.
Lors de la r=E9daction de toutes les offres pour la fourniture de biens et=
de=20
services aux Administrations F=E9d=E9rales, le Ministre Luc Van den Bossche=
=20
fera reprendre =E0 l'avenir =E9galement des crit=E8res =E9thiques.
Ainsi rend-il possible que lors de la s=E9lection de fournisseurs de biens=
et=20
de services une soigneuse pond=E9ration puisse =EAtre effectu=E9e, =E9galeme=
nt=20
bas=E9e sur des crit=E8res =E9thiques. Le Ministre Luc Van den Bossche a=
charg=E9=20
le professeur David D'Hooghe de formuler d'urgence un avis sur l'adjonction=
=20
de crit=E8res de s=E9lection =E9thiques lors de march=E9s publics. C'est=
ainsi qu'=E0=20
l'avenir, il sera exclu que des contrats soient conclus avec des=20
entreprises qui soutiennent des r=E9gimes dictatoriaux, mais il sera tout=20
aussi exclu que des contrats soient conclus avec des entreprises qui ne=20
sont pas fort regardant quant =E0 l'interdiction du travail des enfants.
*
* *
En ce qui concerne le dossier Totalfina, le Ministre Van den Bossche=20
signale que le dossier complet avec les crit=E8res de passation et de=20
s=E9lection a =E9t=E9 approuv=E9 par le conseil des ministres du 27 janvier=
2000.=20
Ces crit=E8res doivent permettre de s=E9lectionner le fournisseur offrant=
les=20
meilleures garanties. Une fois ces crit=E8res approuv=E9s, il y a lieu de=
les=20
observer avec s=E9v=E9rit=E9. Au cours de la proc=E9dure, aucune=
modification ni=20
ajout ne peuvent se faire. La chose engendrerait des exigences en mati=E8re=
=20
de d=E9dommagement.
Sur la base des crit=E8res mentionn=E9s dans l'offre, Totalfina =E9tait le=
=20
meilleur fournisseur de produits p=E9troliers pour les Administrations=20
F=E9d=E9rales. Le fait de ne pas attribuer le march=E9 =E0 cette soci=E9t=E9=
=20
p=E9troli=E8re, apr=E8s une proc=E9dure correcte, donnerait lieu =E0 une=
exigence de=20
d=E9dommagement de la part de Totalfina pouvant s'=E9lever =E0 des dizaines=
de=20
millions de francs.
Vu le probl=E8me politique qui est pos=E9 et compte tenu des relations de=20
Totalfina avec le r=E9gime dictatorial en Birmanie, le Ministre Van den=20
Bossche a d=E9cid=E9 que le contrat avec Totalfina couvrant une ann=E9e et=
en=20
principe deux fois renouvelable ne sera pas reconduit. Dans les=20
circonstances donn=E9es, d=E9but janvier 2001, une nouvelle proc=E9dure=
d'offre=20
sera =E9labor=E9e, o=F9 des crit=E8res =E9thiques seront bel et bien=
adjoints aux=20
crit=E8res de s=E9lection.
Le Ministre Van den Bossche signale =E9galement que dans les contrats=20
conclus, il est clairement pr=E9vu qu'aucun cabinet ou minist=E8re n'est=
oblig=E9=20
de s'approvisionner en produits p=E9troliers chez Totalfina.
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Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
<html>
Hello, is there anybody out there?<br>
<br>
(re-send of the docs on Belgium cancelling its TotalElfFina
contract)<br>
<br>
I am somewhat surprised at the (almost) deafening silence from Burma
activists <br>
et al in response to what is one of the most important moves in the
struggle to <br>
isolate Burma economically. Perhaps all eyes are fixed on the bucolic
scene <br>
outside Rangoon, with its military paparazzi (if SPDC has provided a
portable toilet, <br>
will there be a hidden camera, do you think?). Not that this is not
potentially a key <br>
moment in Burma's history, but it is sometimes possible to be aware of
more than<br>
one thing in the course of a day or so. Or perhaps everyone is away on
holiday.<br>
<br>
The point, to spell it out, is that here is a government (not a
city, not even a US state), <br>
for the first time, so far as I know, cancelling a contract with a
company, partly national, <br>
therefore risking the accusation of sacrificing jobs, because of its
unethical activities in <br>
Burma -- Burma in this case, but the principle has a broader
scope.<br>
<br>
The Government of Belgium is thus pointing the way to its fraternal
governments<br>
of France, the UK (with its "ethical foreign policy"), Germany,
various Scandinavian <br>
countries etc. and increasing the moral pressure on them to do
likewise. And the <br>
example is not limited to Europe. As anyone who has been even marginally
involved <br>
in getting the US Govt to take firm action on Burma (as opposed to firm
speech) will <br>
know, one of the ritual chants arising from Washington DC is that the US
cannot act <br>
alone, that its European colleagues should act as well. So, here we
are -- action.<br>
<br>
However, since governments are generally somewhat hard of hearing, it is
up to the <br>
activists, trade unionists, friendly parliamentarians, journalists
and others, to din it <br>
into them, and urge emulation. <br>
<br>
And while people are using the example of Belgium to beef up their
campaigns on their<br>
governments, it might be worth remembering that the Belgian parliament is
the only <br>
one which as a body (not groups of parliamentarians as in some
Scandinavian<br>
countries) has formally endorsed the CRPP. Emulation on this should also
be <br>
encouraged.<br>
<br>
<br>
So, here they are again:<br>
<br>
Le Soir, August 30<br>
<br>
<font size=3D4><b>Burma: The Belgian government turns its back on
TotalFinaElf<br>
<br>
</b></font>The Belgian Government decided on Tuesday to maintain its
petroleum supply contract with the petroleum Group TotalFinaElf, but to
limit its duration to one year. This follows a boycott call by four
ministers of the Ecology Party in view of the Group's activities in
Burma, a country ruled by a military junta. Luc Van Den Bossche, Minister
for Public Administration, announced that the supply contract with
TotalFinaElf, valid for a year from September
1<font size=3D1><sup>st,</sup></font> and though in principle renewable
twice, in fact will not be renewed. From now on, when bids are prepared
for the supply of goods and services to federal administrations,
ethical criteria will be taken into account. He said that contracts will
not be be signed with companies which support dictatorial regimes.<br>
<br>
(see below for the French text of this article, plus a statement by the
Belgian Ministry of Public Administration)<br>
<br>
<br>
<b>Ethical Criteria to Guide Company Contracts with Government <br>
<br>
</b>xPATs, Aug.30<br>
<br>
Companies that deliver goods to the Government must from now on comply
with ethical criteria. <br>
This was announced by Minister Luc Van den Bossche in response to the
TotalFina affair. <br>
TotalFina was chosen to deliver fuel to government services. Green party
ministers are now <br>
refusing to get their petrol from the company because it is believed to
have connections with <br>
the military regime in Burma. <br>
<br>
The contract with TotalFina will not be suspended because a break-off
could lead to <br>
a high damages claim. Instead, the contract will be limited to a year.
=46rom January, <br>
the government will contract its petrol cards out to another company, one
that complies <br>
with ethical criteria, promises Van den Bossche. The contract with
TotalFina is worth <br>
over 11 million euros. <br>
<br>
<br>
<b>TotalFinaElf boycotted by 4 Belgian ministers over Myanmar links=20
<br>
<br>
</b>AFX, Brussels, 28 August> The government's four Ecology
Party ministers, including <br>
Transport Minister Isabelle Durant, said they will boycott using
TotalFinaElf fuel in <br>
their cars due to the company's business links with Myanmar. <br>
<br>
Durant, Health Minister Magda Alvoet, secretary of state for cooperation
Eddy Boutmans and<br>
secretary of state for energy Olivier Deleuze said they made their
decision after TotalFinaElf <br>
signed a contract to be the official fuel supplier for government
vehicles. <br>
<br>
<br>
FRENCH TEXTS<br>
<br>
<font size=3D4><b>Le Soir, 30 Aout <br>
Birmanie<br>
Le gouvernment belge tourne le dos a TotalFinaElf<br>
</b></font>Le gouvernment belge a decide mardi de maintenir son contrat
de livraison d' essence avec le groupe petrolier TotalFinaElf, mais de
limiter sa duree a un an, apres l' appel au boycott lance par quatre
ministres ecologistes en raison des activites du groupe en Birmanie, sous
la coupe d' une junte militaire. Le ministre de la Fonction publique Luc
Van Den Bossche a annonce que le contrat avec TotalFinaElf, couvrant une
annee a partir du 1er septembre et en principe deux fois renouvelable, ne
sera pas reconduit. Dorenavant, lors de la redaction de toutes les offres
pour la fourniture de biens et de services aux administrations federales,
des criteres ethiques seront pris en compte. Il est exclu que des
contrats soient conclus avec des entreprises qui soutiennent des regimes
dictatoriaux, a-t-il indique.<br>
<br>
****************************<br>
<br>
CABINET DU MINISTRE DE LA FONCTION PUBLIQUE <br>
ET DE LA MODERNISATION DE L=92ADMINISTRATION<br>
<br>
Residence Palace<br>
Rue de la Loi 155 (9e etage)<br>
1040 Bruxelles<br>
Tel (+32-2) 233 0511; <br>
Fax (+32-2) 233 0590<br>
Email kabinet-cabinet@xxxxxxxxxxxxx<br>
<br>
Bruxelles, le 29 ao=FBt 2000<br>
<br>
<br>
<font size=3D4><i>Ministre Luc Van den Bossche : dor=E9navant =E9galement de=
s
crit=E8res =E9thiques lors de la s=E9lection d'entreprises qui fournissent a=
ux
Administrations F=E9d=E9rales.<br>
<br>
<br>
</i></font>Le Ministre de la Fonction Publique et de la Modernisation de
l'Administration, Luc Van den Bossche a pris l'initiative d'ajouter =E0
l'avenir aux crit=E8res de s=E9lection de <u>tous</u> les march=E9s publics
=E9galement des <u>crit=E8res =E9thiques</u>. <i>Cette initiative est une
premi=E8re et unique dans le cadre des march=E9s publics</i>.<br>
<br>
Lors de la r=E9daction de toutes les offres pour la fourniture de biens et
de services aux Administrations F=E9d=E9rales, le Ministre Luc Van den
Bossche fera reprendre =E0 l'avenir =E9galement des crit=E8res =E9thiques.<b=
r>
<br>
Ainsi rend-il possible que lors de la s=E9lection de fournisseurs de biens
et de services une soigneuse pond=E9ration puisse =EAtre effectu=E9e, =E9gal=
ement
bas=E9e sur des crit=E8res =E9thiques. Le Ministre Luc Van den Bossche a cha=
rg=E9
le professeur David D'Hooghe de formuler d'urgence un avis sur
l'adjonction de crit=E8res de s=E9lection =E9thiques lors de march=E9s publi=
cs.
C'est ainsi qu'=E0 l'avenir, il sera exclu que des contrats soient conclus
avec des entreprises qui soutiennent des r=E9gimes dictatoriaux, mais il
sera tout aussi exclu que des contrats soient conclus avec des
entreprises qui ne sont pas fort regardant quant =E0 l'interdiction du
travail des enfants.<br>
<br>
<div align=3D"center">
*<br>
<br>
* &nb=
sp;
*<br>
<br>
</div>
En ce qui concerne le dossier Totalfina, le Ministre Van den Bossche
signale que le <u>dossier complet</u> avec les crit=E8res de passation et
de s=E9lection a =E9t=E9 approuv=E9 par le conseil des ministres du 27 janvi=
er
2000. Ces crit=E8res doivent permettre de s=E9lectionner le fournisseur
offrant les meilleures garanties. Une fois ces crit=E8res approuv=E9s, il y =
a
lieu de les observer avec s=E9v=E9rit=E9. Au cours de la proc=E9dure, aucune
modification ni ajout ne peuvent se faire. La chose engendrerait des
exigences en mati=E8re de d=E9dommagement.<br>
<br>
Sur la base des crit=E8res mentionn=E9s dans l'offre, Totalfina =E9tait le
meilleur fournisseur de produits p=E9troliers pour les Administrations
F=E9d=E9rales. Le fait de ne pas attribuer le march=E9 =E0 cette soci=E9t=E9
p=E9troli=E8re, apr=E8s une proc=E9dure correcte, donnerait lieu =E0 une exi=
gence
de d=E9dommagement de la part de Totalfina pouvant s'=E9lever =E0 des dizain=
es
de millions de francs.<br>
<br>
Vu le probl=E8me politique qui est pos=E9 et compte tenu des relations de
Totalfina avec le r=E9gime dictatorial en Birmanie, le Ministre Van den
Bossche a d=E9cid=E9 que le contrat avec Totalfina couvrant une ann=E9e et e=
n
principe deux fois renouvelable ne sera pas reconduit. Dans les
circonstances donn=E9es, d=E9but janvier 2001, une nouvelle proc=E9dure d'of=
fre
sera =E9labor=E9e, o=F9 des crit=E8res =E9thiques seront bel et bien=
adjoints aux
crit=E8res de s=E9lection. <br>
<br>
Le Ministre Van den Bossche signale =E9galement que dans les contrats
conclus, il est clairement pr=E9vu qu'aucun cabinet ou minist=E8re n'est
oblig=E9 de s'approvisionner en produits p=E9troliers chez Totalfina.<br>
<br>
<br>
</html>
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