Affiliation of the Purchasing Directorate of the French State to Electronics Watch
The Purchasing Directorate of the French State (Direction des Achats de l’État, DAE) has affiliated to Electronics Watch. It is the first public buyer in France to join Electronics Watch's affiliate network. DAE was created by the Decree of 3 March 2016 and is situated within the Ministry of Action and Public Accounts, where it replaced the State Purchasing Service (Service des Achats de l'État, SAE).
DAE’s affiliation, the latest step toward responsible procurement by the French State, affirms a desire to promote respect for human rights at work and the duty of vigilance in supply chains. Toward these ends, DAE developed the thematic guide How to ensure respect for human rights at work in supply chains, in 2021, and contributed to the publication, A practical guide for responsible digital purchasing.
The specific focus on ethical public procurement and respect for international standards on human rights is evident in recent legislation and draft regulations, such as the 2017 French law on on the corporate duty of vigilance and, at the international level, the ban products made using forced labour proposed by the European Commission.
The combination of collaboration between public buyers and Electronics Watch's monitoring expertise will undoubtedly make it possible to develop more resilient, sustainable and transparent public supply chains.
DAE joins a network of more than 400 affiliates, including central purchasing bodies, universities, cities and hospitals, spread across 10 other countries, Australia, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. This network of affiliates also includes the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).