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French government wants 'responsible' multinationals

French MPs on Monday started debating a bill to oblige French multinationals to take for environmental and social policies in factories they own in developing countries.

An injured textile worker is taken from the ruins of the Rana Plaza in Bangladesh in 2013
An injured textile worker is taken from the ruins of the Rana Plaza in Bangladesh in 2013 Reuters/Sohel Ahmed
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The bill, proposed by  Deputy Minister for Development Pascal Canfin calls on the government to regulate the activities of French-based multinationals, proposing measures to curb sanitary and environmental damage.

It indroduces the notion of "civil and environmental responsibility" for companies operating in developing countries and was inspired by the Rana Plaza textile factory disaster, in which 1,000 workers died after a whole building collapsed in April 2013 in Bangladesh. 

Unlike a bill submitted last November, the current project does not introduce any criminal or civil penalty.

"This law opens the beginning of a new era: the time of democratic control of development policy," said Pascal Canfin.

The ruling Socialist and Green parties are going to support the bill, whereas right-wing and centrist parties plan to abstain.

At 10 billion euros a year, France is the fourth global contributor when it comes to public development aid.

The Senate should consider the bill next April or May.

 

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