Belgian company faces legal action over Myanmar beer awards

The Belgian government’s sanction enforcement body—the Federal Public Service (FPS) Finance—has launched an investigation into the awards company, Monde Selection, on suspicion of breaching European Union (EU) sanctions through its involvement with Myanmar junta-owned beer companies. Monde Selection—a Belgian company which evaluates and awards consumer goods—is under investigation following its inclusion of junta-owned Dagon Beverages in its annual alcohol evaluation, and awarding the sanctioned company for its goods. At a flashy awards ceremony in June at Quai d’Orsay, the headquarters of the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, the junta-owned Dagon Beverages Company Ltd. received nine Gold Awards for their rum, beer and soft drinks from Monde Selection, to the applause of hundreds of guests. The company also received several awards the previous year. Dagon Beverages Company Ltd. is a subsidiary of the Myanmar military-owned company, Myanma Economic Corporation (MEC), which has been heavily sanctioned, including by the EU, United Kingdom and United States. Monde Selection recently stripped Dagon Beverages of its previous awards and removed the company from its website after learning about its military ownership, but faces further action after receiving money from the beer company. In order to enter Monde Selection’s annual awards, participating companies must pay a fee of 1,000 Euro per product, which therefore establishes a financial relationship between the companies, and leaves Mode Selection at risk of being found liable for sanctions breaches. FPS Finance confirmed with news outlet Knack that an investigation into Mode Selection was underway. Spokesperson for Info Birmanie, Johanna Chardonnieras, raised concerns about the ease with which sanctioned company members were able to receive Schengen visas and conduct business in the EU. “It is good to have a company that recognises and responds quickly to issues relating to sanctions and human rights, but the real question is: how can a company owned by a conglomerate under EU sanctions make payments in Europe without raising any red flags?” Chardonnieras said. Dagon Beverages was not the only sanctioned beer on the French government’s prize table, however. Myanmar Brewery, which is owned by another heavily sanctioned junta-run company, Myanma Economic Holdings Public Company Limited (MEHL), is also a client of Monde Selection and received quality awards in 2023. The profits accumulated by the MEC and MEHL line the pockets of junta cronies and directly contribute to the regime’s ongoing atrocities. The EU has previously stated that the two conglomerates are responsible for “serious human rights violations.” A director and shareholder of Monde Selection, Louis Poot Baudier, told the news outlet, Knack, that they had only learned of the companies’ ties to MEC and MEHL after this year’s awards ceremony, and had immediately removed the two companies as clients, stripped them of their previous awards and deleted all mention of them from its website. “Were we aware of the European sanctions against Dagon’s owners? The answer is no—absolutely not,” Louis Poot Baudier told Knack. “We have also ceased all contact with the company for as long as it remains subject to sanctions.” He added that they had also contacted Dagon Beverages, Myanmar Brewery, MEC and MEHL to inform them that they could no longer include the Monde Selection Quality Award logo on their products. Myanmar research and advocacy group Justice for Myanmar and French advocacy organisation Info Birmanie jointly urged Monde Selection to end its support for the beverage companies in August following the awards ceremony, highlighting their junta connection. Justice for Myanmar spokesperson Yadanar Maung praised Monde Selection’s rapid removal of the two companies from their client list and website, but warned that the incident showed a gap between the licensing and enforcement of sanctions. “France and Belgium must now take action to ensure accountability for all violations of EU sanctions, and to prevent the heavily sanctioned Myanmar junta and its conglomerates from doing any further business in the EU and with EU companies,” she said. Since the 2021 coup, beer has become more than just a relaxing evening beverage, it has become a decisive sign of allegiance as much of the population boycotts junta-owner beer companies, including Dagon Beverages and Myanmar Brewery products. Footage has circulated of resistance forces destroying alcohol stores and promising harsh punishment on members caught drinking the military-owned beer.

Belgian company faces legal action over Myanmar beer awards

While Monde Selection has cut all ties and revoked awards given to Myanmar military-owned alcohol companies, it is now facing an investigation over possible EU sanction breaches due to its previous relationship

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