Freedom of association is a core labour standard of the UN International Labour Organisation (ILO) and considered essential for the enforcement of democratic trade unions movements worldwide. Campaigners in the garment and footwear industries have found the right to join a trade union to be essential for real and lasting improvements of labour conditions.
The reality learns that freedom of association is violated worldwide on a large-scale. FNV Mondiaal has launched the website www.vakbondsrechten.nl to inform the interested public about violations of freedom of association. For their lobby and campaigning they decided to focus on four selected counties: Colombia, Zimbabwe, Belarus and China. These countries have a very bad reputation regarding the right to organise.

This report is drawn up by SOMO to support the website and the lobby and campaigning activities of FNV Mondiaal. It is focused on the Dutch investments in Colombia, similar reports are made by SOMO concerning Dutch investments in Belarus, Zimbabwe and China.

The report contains:

• Figures on Dutch investment in Colombia, FDI flows;
• Main sectors of Dutch investments;
• Overview of Dutch companies with presence in Colombia with short description of character and extent of the investment and addresses;
• Overview of Dutch and European Business programmes to stimulate investments in Colombia and investment incentives;
• Imports from Colombia;
• Addresses and websites of relevant intermediaries, contact persons, organisations and events.