Cases
Cases

OECD Watch is continuously monitoring the specific instances (cases) raised by NGOs worldwide at National Contact Points for alleged violations of the OECD Guidelines by MNEs. In order to exchange experiences and avoid double work, members of OECD Watch can read more about these cases in the members only section of this website.

In order for the public to be able to assess and analyse the handling of cases by NCPs, OECD Watch will periodically publicise statistics and updates of the NGO cases being raised. These updates contain only basic information about the cases, which respects the confidentiality requirements of the Investment Committee and other parties.

Below, you will find more information on:

  1. The latest developments in cases in the Quarterly Case Update
  2. Current case statistics
  3. Specific Case Dossiers for a) Pending and recently concluded cases and b) Closed, concluded, rejected, withdrawn and blocked cases

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Latest developments in cases

For the most recent update of NGO cases that are currently filed, pending or recently concluded, please see:
OECD Watch Quarterly Case Update Volume 2, Issue 1 Spring 2007
Quarterly Case Update Volume I, Issue 1, March 2006

For the most recent update of trade union cases, please see TUAC's February 2007 list of cases

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Current Case Statistics (update 21/06/2006)

Current case statistics of the 53 OECD Guidelines cases presented by NGO's

Status (No. cases)
  • Filed: the NGO has sent the complaint to the NCP (5)
  • Pending: the NCP has confirmed that it is admissible and the specific instance procedure is under way (13)
  • Concluded: the NCP has reached a decision and issued a statement or the case was settled outside the NCP forum (14)
  • Closed: the NCP has started the case but dropped it before issuing a statement (2)
  • Rejected: the NCP has formally rejected the case presented by the NGO (10)
  • Withdrawn: the complainants have decided to close the case (2)
  • Blocked: the NCP is not clear about the status of the case (no formal rejection, but no intention of accepting it as specific instances either). (6)

Chapter of the OECD Guidelines (No. cases)
  • Chapter I - Concepts and Principles (8)
  • Chapter II - General Policies (incl. Human rights and the supply chain) (42)
  • Chapter III - Disclosure (14)
  • Chapter IV - Employment and Industrial Relations (17)
  • Chapter V - Environment (24)
  • Chapter VI - Combating Bribery (11)
  • Chapter VII - Consumer Interests (2)
  • Chapter VIII - Science and Technology (0)
  • Chapter IX - Competition (7)
  • Chapter X - Taxation (3)

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Specific Case Dossiers

Some of the information in the OECD Watch case dossiers is publicly available. For the available information on the specific case dossiers, please see the documents under 'pending and recently concluded cases' or 'Closed, concluded, rejected, withdrawn and blocked cases'.

Pending and recently concluded cases

Pulp Paper Mill Investment in Fray Bentos Uruguay by Botnia S.A.- Filed: ; Status: Pending; Company/ies: Botnia S.A., Finnvera and Nordea ; Complainants: CEDHA

Behaviour of Royal Dutch Shell in the Philippines and Brazil; Filed: 15/5/2006; Status: Filed; Company/ies: Royal Dutch Shell; Complainants: FoE Netherlands, FoE International et al.

Aker Kvaerner's (Norway) involvement in Guantánamo prisons - Filed: 20/06/2005; Status: Concluded 01/12/2005; Company/ies: Aker Kvaerner; Complainants: ForUM

Ascendant Copper Corporation (Canadian mining company) in Ecuadorian cloud forest - Filed: 29/05/2005; Status: Withdrawn; Company/ies: Ascendant Copper Corporation; Complainants: DECOIN et al.

Global Solutions Ltd. (Australia) violates human rights in detention centre - Filed: 15/06/2005; Status: concluded; Company/ies: Global Solutions Ltd.; Complainants: Human Rights Council of Australia

Bribery in UK Export Credit Program - Filed: 01/04/2005; Status; Pending; Company/ies: Rolls Royce, Airbus and BAE systems; Complainants: Corner House

Bayer's supply chain includes child labour in India - Filed: 11/10/2004; Status: Pending; Company/ies: Bayer; Complainants: Germanwatch

UK companies' role in DR Congo conflict - Filed: 28/06/2004; Status: Blocked (Ridgepoint, Alex Steward Ltd. and Tremalt), Pending (Das Air), Concluded (Avient and Oryx); Company/ies: Ridgepoint, Alex Steward Ltd., Tremalt, Das Air, Avient and Oryx; Complainants: RAID

Tractebel's (Belgium) involvement in Laos hydroelectric dam - Filed: 15/04/2004; Status: Concluded; Company/ies: Tractebel; Complainants: Proyecto Gato

Toyota's anti-trade union practices in the Philippines - Filed: 04/03/2004; Status: Pending; Company/ies: Toyota; Complainants: Protest Toyota Campaign

BP's role in the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline - Filed: 29/04/2003; Status: Pending; Company/ies: BP and consortium parnters; Complainants: FoE et al.

Anglo American mining activities in Zambia - Filed: 27/02/2002; Status: Pending; Company/ies: Anglo American; Complainants: RAID
No documents available

Closed, concluded, rejected, withdrawn and blocked cases

Anvil Mining's role in Massacre in Congo - Filed: 17/06/2005; Status: Rejected; Company/ies: Anvil mining; Complainants: Rights and Democracy

Belgian companies' role in Congo - Filed: 24/11/2004; Status: Rejected (Belgolaise, Cogecom and Nami Gems), Concluded (George Forrest International); Company/ies: Belgolaise, Nami Gems, Cogecom and George Forrest International SA ;Complainants: 11.11.11 et al.

Electricité de France and Nam Theun 2 dam, Laos - Filed: 11/2004 ; Status: Closed/disputed; Company/ies: Electricité de France; Complainants: Proyecto Gato

Alleged complicity of three US companies in fuelling conflict in the DR Congo  - Filed: 04/08/2004; Status: Blocked; Company/ies: OM group Inc, Trinitech and Cabot Corporation; Complainants: FoE US and RAID

National Grid Transco's alleged unfair tariffs in Zambia  - Filed: 25/07/2003; Status: Concluded (07/2005); Company/ies: National Grid Transco; Complainants: Citizens for a Better Environment (CBE)

CPH's (the Netherlands) role in DR Congo conflict - Filed: 03/07/2003; Status: Rejected; Company/ies: CPH; Complainants: NiZa et al.

German company's financing of oil pipeline in Ecuador - Filed: 15/05/2003; Status: Rejected; Company/ies: West LB; Complainants: Greenpeace Germany
No documents available

Swedish company's violations in Ghana - Filed: 18/02/2003; Status: Concluded; Company/ies: Atlas Copco and Sandvik; Complainants: ATTAC and FoE Sweden

First Quantum mining's role in DR Congo conflict - Filed:05/12/2002; Status: Closed; Company/ies: First Quantum; Complainants: Table de Concertation sur Droits Humains

Brylane's anti-trade unions practices in US - Filed: 08/10/2002; Status: Rejected; Company/ies: Bryslane ;Complainants: CCC Austria

Nike and Adidas labour practices in Indonesian supply chain - Filed: 05/11/2002 ; Status: Rejected (Nike), Concluded (Adidas); Company/ies: Adidas and Nike; Complainants: CCC

Nutreco's pollution and anti-trade union practices in Chile - Filed: 22/08/2002 ; Status: Concluded ; Company/ies: Nutreco; Complainants: FoE Netherlands

Continental AG's labour practices in Mexico - Filed: 27/05/2002; Status: Concluded; Company/ies: Continental AG; Complainants: Germanwatch

Total's polluting oil operations in Russia - Filed: 10/04/2002 ; Status: Rejected; Company/ies: TotalFinaElf; Complainants: Greenpeace

First Quantum mining evictions in Zambia - Filed: 16/07/2001; Status: Concluded; Company/ies: First Quantum; Complainants: Oxfam Canada

Binani's corruption in mining industry Zambia - Filed: 05/2001; Status: Withdrawn; Company/ies: Binani; Complainants: RAID
no documents available

Dutch companies (Kubbinga & Adidas) labour practices in Indian football industry - Filed: 20/06/2001 ; Status: Rejected (Kubbinga), Concluded (Adidas); Company/ies: Kubbinga and Adidas; Complainants: ICN

Dutch trade unions and IHC Caland on activities in Burma July 2004

FdW, 21/6/2006