Belgium

Action point 11

Ensure better coordination between federal and regional authorities in order to integrate human rights and social responsible entrepreneurship into public aid

Assurer une meilleure coordination entre les autorités fédérales et régionales afin d’intégrer des critères relatifs aux droits de l’Homme et l’entrepreneuriat socialement responsable dans les aides publiques

The NAP explains that Finexpo, an inter-ministerial consultative committee managed by the Administration of Foreign Affairs, studies the files of companies and/or banks requesting public support for an export credit and issues an opinion to the Council of Ministers, which takes the final decision on the granting of the aid. This state intervention allows Belgian companies to carry out projects in developing countries and thus contribute to growth in these countries. The action specifically involves:

“bringing together the various public services to exchange information at regular intervals. A common method for integrating the promotion of human rights and other aspects of social responsibility into the evaluation of applications will also be examined in this context. The method will be based on decisions taken in international fora (eg. OECD) on export credit.”

The NAP further states that:

“regarding Finexpo, it will be necessary to modify the official questionnaire… in order to introduce references to the promotion of human rights, and to corporate social responsibilities that go beyond issues on the environmental impact, which are already included in the questionnaire. These references will be based on decisions taken in international fora (eg OECD) on export credit.”

Action point 20

Promote state enterprises that are socially responsible

Promouvoir les entreprises publiques socialement responsables

This point briefly mentions the issue of export credits in a citation of the Guiding Principle 4:

“States should take additional steps to protect against human rights abuses by business enterprises that are owned or controlled by the State, or that receive substantial support and services from State agencies such as export credit agencies and official investment insurance or guarantee agencies, including, where appropriate, by requiring human rights due diligence.”