Go to TOES '97 Home Page

Corporate Accountability

A large and growing portion of world commerce operates though enterprises which are effectively stateless: outside the tax system and immune from prosecution. However, the Texas Supreme Court recently issued a landmark ruling (the Alfaro case) which may eventually change the way Texas-based multinational corporations operate in foreign countries. In this workshop, legal scholars will present case studies, such as the Alfaro case, involving toxic torts, industrial accidents, and the creation of Euro-dollars by transfer pricing through foreign subsidiaries. In addition, the panel will discuss new international standards of human rights and environmental conduct concerning multinational corporations.

Organizers:

• Tyrus Fain, President Austin World Affairs Council, P.O. Box 50237, Austin, TX 78763; (512) 469-0158, (512) 474-7550.

• Mark Ritchie, trade analyst for Minnesota Department of Agriculture, 3838 Blaisdell Ave, So., Minneapolis, MN 55409; fax: (612) 339-0684; Executive Director, Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, 1313 Fifth Street, S.E., Suite 303, Minneapolis, MN 55414, or P.O. Box 80066, Minneapolis, MN 55408; (612) 379-5980; fax: (612) 379-5982; Econet: iatp@igc.apc.org.

• Charles Siegel, Principle lawyer in Alfaro Costa Rican pesticide case before the Texas Supreme Court.

• Tom McGarity, Law School, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78712.

• Ward Morehouse, Author, Nothing to Lose but Our Lives: The Abuse of Power and the Social Performance of Multinational Corporations, Intermediate Technology Development Group/North America, 777 United Nations Plaza, Suite 3C, New York, NY 10017; (212) 972-9877; fax: (212) 972-9878.

• Clarence Dias, President, International Center for Law in Development, 777 United Nations Plaza, Suite 7E, New York, NY 10017; (212) 687-0036.

• Robert Engler, Department of Political Science, City University of New York, New York, NY 10031, author of various works on oil, Bhopal, and related issues; contributor to The Nation and other leading periodicals.

Go to TOES '90 Program

Go to TOES '97 Home Page