Dear President, Dear High Representative, The ETUC totally condemns the bloody repression by the Myanmar military which has trampled over democracy and the legitimate protests of the people of Myanmar and killed over 100 people including children in the deadliest day since the illegal coup two months ago. In addition to gun and grenade attacks on people in several cities, airstrikes against its own people have caused many citizens to flee the country for Thailand.

The European Commission announced today a partial withdrawal of trade concessions to Cambodia under its preferential trade arrangement, Everything But Arms (EBA). The decision came after a long period of ‘enhanced dialogue’ initiated by the EU in order to pressure the Cambodian government to stop persecuting opposition leaders and to roll back other authoritarian measures. 

The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) has been following - with growing concern and frustration - discussions in South Korea about the ratification and full implementation of fundamental UN ILO Conventions, notably Convention 87 on Freedom of Association and Convention 98 on Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining, which the South Korean government committed to in the 2011 EU-Korea Free Trade Agreement.

  Today the European Commission formally requested consultations with the Government of South Korea on the lack of implementation of fundamental labour rights. This is strongly welcomed by the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) which, together with the Federation of Korean Trade Unions and the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, have pressed for a long time for consultations to be launched due to the poor situation of workers’ rights in South Korea.

China has been a member of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) since 2001 but it is not recognised as a market economy by any of its major trading partners, including the EU and the US. China's WTO Accession Protocol allowed WTO members not to grant “Market Economy Status” (MES) to China for a period up to 11 December 2016. Not applying MES to China allows the EU to use alternative methods for calculating dumping margins (that apply to Non-Market Economies, NMEs, often based on the higher prices applying in third countries).

This is a propitious time for the publication of the Syndex study, which will help inform European trade unions about the state of play in the economic relations between two of the major world players and feed their discussions towards elaborating ETUC policy on the issues.

This call for tenders will be open  to 31 March 2015

Brussels, 25/04/2012 Bernadette Ségol, ETUC General Secretary, stated: “In light of the country’s still high level of corruption and poor record on human rights, we propose binding requirements to assess and remedy any negative human rights impact from investments; public reporting; and the creation of effective complaints and dispute-settlement instruments, among others, which are absolutely necessary to ensure that any new trade and investment do not contribute to the country’s problems”.

Brussels, 21/02/2012 Mrs Ségol argued that any future relaxation of restrictive measures must be incremental, matching evidence of real and substantial progress. A document produced by the International Trade Union Confederation appended to the letter sets down “benchmarks” that trade unions insist should be met by the Burmese authorities leading to appropriate responses. - ETUC Letter

Brussels, 03/08/2011 Writing to Catherine Ashton, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy who is conducting discussions with EU countries about their position on Burma to be advanced at the 21st UN General Assembly, ETUC General Secretary, Bernadette Ségol, urged her to to support the recommendation of the United Nations Special Rapporteur for a COI into human rights abuses in Burma/Myanmar. That call has been backed by the leader of Burma’s democracy movement, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

Brussels, 11/04/2011 “The Burmese military junta is responsible for appalling crimes over many years. Europe, and the rest of the international community, should support international moves for a UN Inquiry, to ensure that justice is done on behalf of the victims of the regime’s reign of oppression and violence,” said ITUC General Secretary Sharan Burrow.

Brussels, 25/11/2010 John Monks said that the ETUC expected European companies to contribute to decent work and sustainable development in their host countries. He pointed out that the European Union (EU) had consistently pressed for sustainable development chapters to be included in Free Trade Agreements (FTA) with third countries in line with those objectives.

Brussels, 06/10/2010 “We welcome the Leaders’ support for the Global Jobs Pact, ILO fundamental principles and rights at work, the need for equitable distribution of income, and dialogue between social partners,” said International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) General Secretary Sharan Burrow.

Brussels, 24/11/2008

Brussels, 30/06-01/07/2008 {{{CLOSING SESSION: Bali and beyond – strengthening EU-Asia strategic cooperation on global market issues and decent work}}} {{ To be checked against delivery}} I would first like to thank the European Commission, the Indonesian Government, and the two EU Presidencies which have straddled this two-day conference for helping to bring into effect the decisions of the Helsinki Summit concerning the promotion of social dialogue in the ASEM context.

Brussels, 09/08/2007 ETUC General Secretary John Monks this morning participated in a demonstration in front of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran, demanding the immediate and unconditional release of both trade union leaders. This Day of International Action is organised by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF). It is supported by many European trade unionists and Amnesty International.

Brussels, 03/07/2007

Helsinki, 08 September 2006 To be checked against delivery I should like first to thank our Finnish affiliates (SAK, AKAVA, STTK) for organising this important meeting, and for the opportunity to meet high Government representatives, as one has come to expect in this country, a home to social dialogue. The Asia-Europe Meetings process is now 10 years old. So this is a good opportunity to take stock, and to look to the future.

Brussels, 08/09/2006 Said John Monks, General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC): “The Asia Europe Meetings process is now 10 years old, so it's a good moment to take stock and look to the future. At the ETUC, we have pressed for trade union involvement in this framework of relationships between Asia and Europe. The ETUC supports the EU in its efforts to promote sustainable economic and social development through ASEM.”

Brussels, 07/07/2006 To be checked against delivery Hardly a day goes by without European workers being reminded of China's competitive strengths, by employers, governments - and, dare I say it, by the European Commissioner for Trade. China is presented as the inescapable face of globalisation. But, in this debate, globalisation sometimes becomes an argument that social Europe is no longer affordable and is a barrier to necessary reforms and to competitiveness.

Brussels, 20/06/2006 John Monks, ETUC General Secretary, said: “It is outrageous that profit-chasing European companies are threatening to disinvest if very basic standards are introduced in China. Rather than engaging in a race to the bottom they should respect, throughout the world, standards that we expect them to apply at home.”