Read the final statement issued by the Swiss NCP concluding the specific instance - 17 February 2012
In December 2010 the Swiss NCP received a request for review from the NGO European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR) alleging that Paul Reinhart AG, a Swiss multinational enterprise, had breached the general policies, and employment and industrial relations provisions of the Guidelines in Uzbekistan. More specifically it was alleged that the company was buying cotton from the state-run cotton merchants in Uzbekistan and thereby contributing to the systematic and extensive use of child labour.
The NCP undertook an initial assessment of the specific instance and concluded that it merited further consideration. It contacted the parties involved and offered to facilitate a dialogue so as to reach a resolution. The parties accepted the NCP's mediation offer and, in the following the dialogue and discussions which took place between December 2011 and January 2012 the parties reached an agreement on the issues raised. The NCP duly concluded the specific instance.