Read the final statement issued by the French NCP concluding the specific instance - 21 September 2012 | en français

In October 2010, the French NCP received a request for review from the NGOs SHERPA (France) and the European Centre for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR, Germany) alleging that Devcot, a French multinational enterprise in the textile sector, was breaching the general policies, and employment and industrial relations provisions of the Guidelines by purchasing cotton allegedly produced through the systematic use of child labour in Uzbekistan.

The French NCP provided its good offices though a long dialogue with the parties. The NCP held that the trade in goods produced from forced child labour constitutes a violation of the Guidelines, but acknowledged that Devcot has not purchased any Uzbek cotton in the last few years and does not intend to trade in Uzbekistan until child labour has ended.

In their final statement issued in September 2012, the NCP reminded Devcot of the importance of the Guidelines, and in particular the responsibilities within the cotton trade supply chain. The NCP also invited Devcot to carry out due diligence and implement the Guidelines recommendations vis-a-vis its business partners.