Both ENDS organises Masterclass Dutch Export Credit Facility
On Monday September 5, together with the Dutch Party for the Animals, Both ENDS organised a Masterclass Dutch Export Credit Facility. The goal of the Masterclass was to inform Dutch parliamentarians and their staff on the functioning of the Dutch export credit facility.
At the end of this year, the Dutch government will present a policy review of its export credit facility - as implemented by Atradius Dutch State Business (Atradius DSB) - to the national Parliament. Various political parties expressed their need for more information about the Dutch Export Credit Facility, to enable them to better assess the government's policy review.
Therefore, Both ENDS organised a Masterclass to inform the parliamentarians about the economic, social, environmental and human rights impacts in developing countries of exports and investments, supported by Atradius DSB. Furthermore, the Masterclass focused on the possibilities to effectively counter and mitigate negative impacts.
At the meeting Atradius DSB, Boskalis, Both ENDS, the Netherlands Commission for Environmental Assessment, MVO (Corporate Social Responsibility) platform, the Dutch Banking Association, Rabobank, Transparency International and the employers' organisation VNO-NCW held short presentations and provided input to the discussions. The Dutch National Contact Point for the OECD-Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises participated as an observer. Representatives from six political parties were present.
During the meeting Both ENDS provided critical but constructive reflections on the Dutch Export Credit Facility. Niels Hazekamp, policy advisor at Both ENDS: "In our view, more transparency and a stronger due diligence policy are needed to prevent and mitigate negative social and environmental impacts. Whether to support a controversial transaction or not is, in the end, always a political decision."
All participants in the Masterclass concluded that this meeting was very helpful as a preparation for a better informed parliamentary discussion on the policy review that is on the agenda later this year.
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