FOR FURTHER INFO CONTACT:
Leisa Goodman
E-MAIL: publicrelations@scientology.org
(323) 960-3500
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 30, 2001
U.S. TRADE REPRESENTATIVE KEEPS GERMANY ON WATCH LIST FOR PROCUREMENT PRACTICES AGAINST SCIENTOLOGISTS; BUT ACKNOWLEDGES GERMAN EFFORTS TO RESOLVE ISSUE
For the second successive year, the U.S. Trade Representative has cited Germany in its “Title VII” Report identifying discriminatory foreign government procurement practices. Germany was cited for the governmental use of “sect filters”, at federal and state level, and in the private sector, that require applicants for contractual relations or employment to disavow any association with the religion of Scientology and its principles before a contract may be signed.
The Report states, however, that the German government has revised the filter to make it less restrictive. According to the Title VII report, the revision “no longer prohibits firms from competing for government contracts on the basis of the affiliation of its management or employees with the Church of Scientology.” The U.S. Trade Rep states that the Administration will continue to monitor the issue.
The Church of Scientology International’s Human Rights Director, Leisa Goodman, stated that the revision is “a step in the right direction but not good enough.” She emphasized that “any filter that discriminates against individuals or organizations is unacceptable. We will continue to work with the U.S. State Department and the U.S. Trade Rep’s office to bring about a permanent end to any and all economic, commercial and of course religious discrimination against our parishioners.” She noted that two recent rulings by German courts have held that use of a “sect filter” is unlawful.
The German Foreign Ministry’s Political Director, Klaus Schairoth, informed the U.S. Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs, Marc Grossman, of the change in an official exchange of letters this month. The U.S. reply, dated April 20, acknowledged the German government’s “efforts to address our concerns” but reiterated that “it is important to us that no U.S. firm be barred from competing for contracts at the state or federal level based on the religious affiliation of its employees.” The US reply stated that, “we also understand that, in the context of government procurement, no U.S. firm will be asked to submit to verification or other qualification procedures not required of other foreign firms in any other government procurement, in a manner inconsistent with Germany’s WTO [World Trade Organization] obligations.”
This concern is, in part, a reference to the refusal of German state and federal offices to procure Windows 2000 last year on the grounds that a component for the program was produced by Executive Software, whose founder and CEO is a Scientologist.
Last year’s Trade Representative’s Annual Report, issued from the Executive Office of the President, represented a substantial toughening of U.S. government criticism of Germany for discrimination against Scientologists. In November 2000, in a public statement, the federal German government conceded that the use of “sect filters” posed a problem in its international trade relations.
The “Title VII” process, initially established under Title VII of the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988 (“Title VII”), as amended, provides a vehicle for identifying priorities for international negotiations that may address discriminatory foreign government procurement practices and for monitoring and enforcing existing international agreements. After the Title VII legislation expired in 1996, the process was reinstituted by Executive Order 13116 on March 31, 1999.
Scientology was founded by philosopher and humanitarian L. Ron Hubbard in 1954. As part of its social mission the Church supports many charitable and social programs in the areas of drug rehabilitation, criminal reform and literacy programs.
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