Belgique 1 (Sabin Alexandre)
	Report: Session 4

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BELGIAN REPORT OF SESSION 4

Reading the reports and reaction

We started our session to read and discuss the available reports on the ISC web site:
United Kingdom said on its point five that we are not good about passing on information and experiences to each other.  That this applies, locally, at national level, and at European and International levels.  This is to forget the closing of the Vilvorde Renault plant that led to the first european workers strike.

We agreed on the parallel between Sweden and Belgium.

About Estonia we were surprised on the high level of technology of the country.  Another surprise was the classification positive or negative concerning the foreign investments where worplaces and working conditions are positive as well negative.

Kenyan report was no surprise as leaders for the country are missing.  The richness of the goods & products and the low
wages conditions are indicated for TNC to take place

Discussion on the Code of Conducts

The code of conducts are an effective instrument to protect workers’right in transnational companies ... if they are respected. We read that Nike with its pseudo good will presented an agreement but didnt respect it on the ground.  We think it is a matter to keep discussing at the national level on a govenmental  level to force law to be adopted.

But we remain sceptical about the impact and the power ot the Code of Conducts at the international level.  In Belgium our President of the french speaking region, Robert Colignon, was recently in South America, Brazil, to mix White-Blue-Belgian  label beef with local Brazilian beef (no comment).  A Belgian farmer was asked for its beef if he did not fear to transmit the illness of the creasy beef to Brazil; he answered that if it wat not him who would do it someone else would !

M. Sabin Alexandre
Belgian ISC facilitator
 

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