The Hague, 28/29 January 1999

This conference was organised within the framework of the OECD's Emerging Market Economy Forum, which brings together OECD Member countries and non-member economies engaged in market reform.

Recent debates on the environmental implications of foreign direct investment (FDI) have often been highly polarised and polemical. In order to promote a dialogue on the key issues in the FDI-environment relationship, the conference brought together government officials, business persons, trade union representatives, NGOs and academics from OECD and non-OECD countries. In total, 146 people participated in the meeting: 107 from OECD Member countries; 19 from non-member countries (Argentina, Azerbaijan, Brazil, Chile, China, Estonia, Hong Kong (China), Latvia, Malaysia, the Philippines, South Africa and Thailand); 11 from international organisations (EBRD, European Commission, UNCTAD, UNCSD, UNEP, World Bank). Mr. Gerrit Ybema, Minister for Foreign Trade, the Netherlands and Mr. Donald Johnston, OECD Secretary-General opened the conference.

The objectives of the conference were two-fold:

• to deepen understanding and analysis of the key issues in the FDI and environment relationship within the context of a globalising economy; and
  
• to examine ways in which this relationship might be improved to mutually reinforce environmental and FDI policy goals.