PROPOSAL 2
SHAREHOLDER PROPOSAL
ON OFFSETS IN FOREIGN MILITARY CONTRACTS
Several shareholders have advised the Company that they intend to present
the following resolution at the Annual Meeting. In accordance with applicable
proxy regulations, the proposed resolution and supporting statement,
for which the Board of Directors and the Company accept no responsibility,
are set forth below. Approval of this proposal would require the affirmative
vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of Boeing stock present
in person or by proxy and entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting.
Shareholder Resolution
RESOLVED: Shareholders request the Company to disclose all significant
promises (including technology transfers), made to foreign governments
or foreign firms in connection with foreign military sales, intended
to offset their US dollar cost of weapons purchased by foreign nations.
Proponents' Supporting Statement
OFFSETS?
Offsets are agreements by U.S. weapons manufacturers and the U.S. government
to direct some benefits--usually jobs or technology--back to the purchasing
country as a condition of sale.
Direct offsets transfer purchasing dollars and/or work and military
technology (often through licensing or joint production) to recipient
countries to produce a U.S. weapon system, or its components.
Indirect offsets may involve investments in the purchasing country,
counter-trade agreements, or transfers of commercial technology.
U.S. taxpayers finance offsets by (1) paying for the research and development
of weapons and (2) providing grants, loans and loan guarantees for the
sale. Offsets also lead to U.S. job loss.
PROPRIETARY?
The U.S. arms industry guards offsets information, claiming "proprietary
privilege." However, purchasing countries often disclose such information,
e.g., to convince citizens of tangible benefits of millions of dollars
spent on arms.
The proponents believe that insofar as U.S. arms manufacturers (1)
engage in foreign policy by negotiating private offset agreements with
foreign governments, and (2) export jobs while claiming that foreign
military sales create jobs, they forfeit their proprietary claims. Sound
public policy demands transparency and public debate on these matters.
EXAMPLES
In 1999, Boeing offered lucrative production-sharing contracts with
Israeli military manufacturers, in connection with bidding on a contract
with Israel. The NY Times reported that Boeing promised Israel
$500 million in production-sharing business in Israel, and then raised
the amount to $1 billion in local investments.
1997 data shows that 13 U.S. prime military contractors reported 58
new offset agreements valued at $3.85 billion in support of $5.84 billion
in export contracts. Aerospace is the sector most impacted by offsets.
Between 1993 and 1997, about 90% of offset agreements and transactions
were associated with aerospace exports. In the case of offset transactions,
however, not all the products were actually themselves aerospace-related.
Of the $11.8 billion in offset transactions, only 54% ($6.4 billion)
were identified as aerospace products. (This may be understated because
of difficulty in properly identifying a large number of products listed
as indirect offsets.) Between 1993 and 1997 U.S. defense companies entered
into new offset agreements valued at $19 billion in support of $35 billion
worth of defense contracts. For every dollar a U.S. company received
from an arms sale associated with offsets, it returned 54 cents worth
of offset obligations to the purchasing country ("Offsets in Defense
Trade 1999," Commerce Department).
That Report concludes: "offsets provide substantial benefits to
foreign firms, and in the process deny business to otherwise competitive
U.S. firms."
ARMS EXPORTS DON'T CREATE JOBS
The faith-based proponents submit this resolution for Board consideration
because arms exports do not create jobs. Weapons proliferation and the
export of jobs and technology through offsets raise profound moral and
ethical, as well as fiscal, questions that shareholders should address.
Board of Directors' Response
Boeing is a global company conducting business in the international
marketplace. A portion of the Company's international business consists
of the sale of military equipment. These sales of military equipment
and services require compliance with strict U.S. government regulations
that control where products may be sold overseas and what products may
be exported. The Department of Defense administers a rigorous regime
of approval for the sale of military equipment and permits only those
sales that are consistent with U.S. interests and policy objectives.
Government regulations also impose strict licensing controls on the
export of equipment and technology to protect the long-term economic
and national security interests of the United States.
Contractual agreements for offset transactions, such as technology
licensing, production sharing or co-marketing, are commonplace in international
sales for both commercial and military products. To the extent the
Company engages in such transactions, it does so only in compliance
with U.S. government regulations and as negotiated with the customer.
Failure to enter into such arrangements could result in the loss of
customers, and could translate into lost jobs and diminished shareholder
value.
The Company's offset arrangements provide the means for the Company
to create new jobs and maintain its current labor force. The Company
believes that robust and bilateral trading leads to job creation at
both ends of international transactions and is beneficial to international
economic stability and growth.
The Company understands that some shareholders may wish to know details
of the Company's military sales contracts with respect to offset transactions.
However, much of the information requested is competitively sensitive.
In addition, many offset arrangements are subject to confidentiality
agreements with the customer that prohibit the Company from making such
disclosures. U.S. law recognizes this fact and affords confidential
treatment to information that is reported to the government regarding
offset transactions. Publication of such information would put Boeing
at a disadvantage in its business, may breach contractual arrangements
and would not be in the best interest of the Company or its shareholders.
U.S. government regulations require the Company to report to the Department
of State extensive information regarding export of military products,
including specific information with respect to offset transactions.
This government regulation is evidenced by the Defense Offsets Disclosure
Act of 1999 (the "1999 Act"), which requires a description
of any offset agreements with respect to foreign military sales or direct
commercial sales. Such reporting requirements ensure that the Company's
offset transactions are conducted in strict compliance with U.S. government
regulations.
The 1999 Act also establishes a National Commission on the Use of Offsets
in Defense Trade. The National Commission, of which Mr. Condit is a
member, is comprised of representatives from government and the private
sector, including industry (both defense and nondefense), labor and
academia. The National Commission's charge is to review and prepare
a report for appropriate congressional committees on all aspects of
the use of offsets in the international defense trade, including:
- current practices by foreign governments in requiring offsets in
purchasing agreements,
- the extent and nature of offsets offered by U.S. and foreign defense
contractors,
- the impact of the use of offsets on defense subcontractors and nondefense
industrial sectors affected by indirect offsets, and
- the role of offsets, both direct and indirect, on domestic industry
stability, U.S. competitiveness, and national security.
The Company believes the work of the National Commission will address
many of the proponents' concerns, and is the proper forum for a review
of and report on the issue of offsets in foreign military sales.
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS
A VOTE AGAINST PROPOSAL 2.
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