Human rights and ECAs: the Uruguayan paper mills case (PDF)

(CEDHA, Argentina, 23 Jan. 2006) Nearly 40 000 Argentine citizens have petitioned the Inter American Commission on Human Rights, alleging that the Uruguayan government has allowed serious breaches of human rights caused by two pulp mills. The largest of the mills is sponsored by three Finnish pulp and paper companies, Botnia, Metsaliitto and UPM, and is backed by Finnvera, the official, state owned export credit agency of Finland. The mills, located on the international waterway between Uruguay and Argentina, breach IFC operational policy, OECD Guidelines and violate international law, recently triggering Argentina to bring a case before International Court of Justice at the Hague.