ICC and the Problem of the Human Environment

The United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, convened in Stockholm in June 1972, marked the first time the nations of the world collectively acknowledged that something had gone wrong with the way mankind has been managing its relationship with the natural world.

The International Chamber of Commerce has been particularly active in the area of environmental concerns. At its Vienna Congress in 1971, the ICC "accepted the challenge to industry arising out of the impact of technology on society" and, following this, established a high level committee of industrialists and experts to cooperate with intergovernmental organizations in the search for and implementation of new approaches and solutions to the problems of the human environment. Through this committee, the ICC helped arrange "Briefings for World Business" last spring in Paris and New York, which were addressed by Maurice Strong, secretary-general of the U.N. Conference on the Human Environment.

Just prior to the Stockholm Conference, the ICC, together with the Swedish Federation of Industries, organized a World Industry Conference on the Human Environment in Gothenberg, Sweden, where business and industry evidenced their resolve to deal constructively with environmental problems.

The secretary-general of the ICC, Walter Hill, addressed the Stockholm Conference in June, where he presented to the Conference an ICC commentary entitled, Industry and the Environment.

In November, at a meeting sponsored by the ICC in Paris, a number of national and international industrial organizations decided in principle to coordinate their enviromental activities in an International Center for Industry and the Environment, in association with the ICC, primarily in order to provide an interface between industry and the United Nations Environment Program. Representatives of the U.S. Council have participated actively in the preparatory work for this Center.

As keynote speaker at the annual dinner meeting of the U.S. Council in December 1972, Maurice Strong said: "... I am very encouraged by the interest being shown by industry, and by the steps that have been taken by the International Chamber to establish machinery for communication between industry and a new U.N. organization" in the field of environment.

The ICC and Intergovernmental Agencies

The ICC is the only business organization to enjoy the highest consultative status with United Nations agencies such as ECOSOC, UNCTAD, and the new U.N. Environmental Program. Similar consultative arrangements are maintained with such intergovernmental organizations as GATT, the IMF, and the OECD.

One of the unique consultative forums for international business is the ICC-U.N., GATT Economic Consultative Committee formed a few years ago which brings together the heads of agencies and business leaders from around the world for an annual exchange of views on major international economic issues.

Its fourth session held at ICC headquarters in Paris on January 17-18, 1973 included the participating members listed on pages 10 and 11. On the agenda for discussion were current problems in international trade and payments, monetary reform, the multinational corporation, international investment, and the environment.

The Carnet

A Service to Business by the U.S. Council

The carnet system sharply reduces customs formalities for two categories of goods; commercial samples and professional equipment. A carnet is a customs document allowing special categories of goods to be taken at no cost across international borders. Products coVered range from radar sets to musical instruments, from helicopters to mini-computers. The convenience of carnets in streamlining foreign customs procedures is making their use increasingly popular among international businessmen.

The U.S. Council became the official issuing agent for the ATA carnet in the United States in 1969, and the carnet program has grown remarkably since then. In 1970, the first full year of operations, the Council issued 330 carnets with a total goods value of nearly $5 million. In 1972, 900 carnets were issued, with a total goods value of over $12 million.

Worldwide, 103,000 carnets were issued in 1972 covering goods valued at over $750 million, under the ATA Convention, initiated and administered by the ICC.

U.S. Council Participation in USA-BIAC

A part of the official structure of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), located in Paris, is its Business and Industry Advisory Committee (BIAC). The OECD consists of 23 industrialized nations including the countries of Western Europe, Australia, Japan, Canada and the United States. BIAC in turn has member organizations in each of the OECD member countries.

The USA-BIAC, the member organization of BIAC for the United States, brings together the U.S. Council, the Chamber of Commerce of the U.S.A. and the National Association of Manufacturers. This provides a direct link between a broad representation of the United States business community and the important work of the OECD in matters relating to international trade, investment, economic growth, energy and the environment. The U.S. Council serves as secretariat for USABIAC.

Early in 1972, on the occasion of BIAC's 10th anniversary, Emilio G. Collado, executive vice president of Exxon Corporation, was elected chairman of BIAC. Mr. Collado also became chairman of USA-BIAC at its annual meeting in April.

In addition to Mr. Collado, the U.S. Council is represented on USA-BIAC by George W. Ball, senior partner, Lehman Brothers, Edward Littlejohn, vice presidentpublic affairs, Pfizer, Inc., Ralph Smiley, chairman, Booz, Allen & Hamilton International, Inc. and by Council chairman lan MacGregor.

Recent developments in the fields of international trade and monetary affairs, the increasing attention being focused upon multinational investment and the initiation of international consideration of environmental problems has resulted in more active U.S. participation in the work of BIAC. USA-BIAC's subcommittees include a Committee on Environment, a Committee on Taxation and the Steering Committee on the Multinational Corporation. USA-BIAC regularly consults with the U.S. Department of State in its formulation of U.S. policy for OECD work.

The ICC

For over 50 years, the International Chamber of Commerce has provided a voice for private international business. It is the only global business organization. Within the ICC, more than 80 countries are represented -countries in every continent and at all stages of economic development. There are over 40 national committees like the U.S. Council. Through the ICC, business leaders from all these countries urge national governments and intergovernmental agencies to follow policies that will achieve the goals it believes are in everyone's interest.

The International Chamber of Commerce holds as a basic tenet that solutions to the economic problems of the world can best be found in the free movement of peoples, goods, services and capital among countries at all levels of development. It advocates regular international cooperation between governments and business as a means of achieving this goal.

1973 ICC Congress in Brazil

The XXIV biennial Congress of the ICC will be held May 19-26, 1973, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The Congress theme is: "The Challenge of Urban Growth to Governments and Private Enterprise." A basic statement on the Congress theme has been prepared by Harold Dunkerley, special adviser to the urban projects department of the World Bank.

A secondary theme that will come in for much discussion in the light of recent developments is "A New Framework for Trade and Payments." The chairman of the U.S. Council will be co-chairman of the Congress plenary session on this theme. The U.S. Council will present statements on both trade and monetary policy. A series of specialized sessions will deal with such subjects of usual ICC concern as investment, environment, primary commodities, technology transfers, banking, transport and the simplification of trade documents and practices.