France: former Congolese employees at Comilog, a subsidiary of French group Eramet secure compensation from the French courts for the breaches of contract

After a 23 year long legal battle, former Congolese employees at Comilog (La Compagnie Minière de l'Ogooué, Ogooué Mining Company), a Gabon based subsidiary of French mining company Eramet, finally obtained a conviction from the French Courts against their ex-employer to pay compensation, according to the Gabonese labor code, for terminating employment contracts without notice in 1992. The French Court ruling invoked ‘denial of justice’ with the employees in question not having been able to obtain redress in Gabon. It marks a step on the road to jurisdictions’ “universal competence” for such severe violations.