“We are the international bromine production organisation. Since 1997 we have been working to foster knowledge on the uses and benefits of bromine-based solutions. We strongly believe in science and innovation. Through investments in research and development BSEF members create robust bromine-based technologies meeting the needs of society.”
From BSEF ‘About Us’. 2017. BSEF. Accessed January 18. http://bsef.com/about-us/.
“The Bromine Science and Environmental Forum is a bromine industry front group run by the global PR firm Burson-Marsteller (BM).”
From ‘Bromine Science and Environmental Forum - SourceWatch’. 2017. Accessed January 18. http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Bromine_Science_and_Environmental_Forum .
“What exactly is the Bromine Science and Environmental Forum (BSEF)? The name suggests an academic body or an environmentalist organisation. Or could this ‘forum’ be some sort of coalition bringing together scientists, environmentalists and other stakeholders? In reality, BSEF has only four members: the world’s major producers of bromine flame retardants, based in the US, Israel and Japan. When the commercial interests of these four companies were threatened by plans to ban some of their products from the EU market, they turned to public relations giant Burson-Marsteller for assistance. Well-experienced in running front groups, Burson-Marsteller helped to set up the Bromine Science and Environmental Forum and the PR firm has ever since run BSEF’s EU operations from its office on Av. de Cortenbergh 118 in Brussels. Until recently, the corporate nature of BSEF and the key role of Burson-Marsteller in its operations was routinely kept vague or simply hidden. To add to the impression of a house of mirrors, Burson-Marsteller’s Brussels office also runs several other bromine industry outfits fighting EU bans, such as the Alliance for Consumer Fire Safety in Europe (ACFSE) and the European Brominated Flame Retardant Industry Panel (EBFRIP), which consists of three of the four BSEF corporations.”
From ‘The House of Mirrors at Cortenbergh 118’. 2017. Accessed January 18. http://archive.corporateeurope.org/lobbycracy/houseofmirrors.html.