Today the European Commission restated its commitment to decent work worldwide, to abolition of child labour and forced labour, set out the various already-existing tools that could be used to achieve it, and proposed an ‘instrument’ to ban products in EU made from forced labour.
Liina Carr, ETUC Confederal Secretary said “The EU must adopt a ban on products from forced labour. To fail to do so now would be a disgrace.
“It would be a big step forward for humanity if the EU used trade agreements, development policy and other external policies and funds to achieve decent work worldwide. As the Commission points out decent work needs to be the central pillar of a just transition and an inclusive, sustainable and resilient recovery
“ETUC has been urging the EU to do this for years. The tools are in place, but their use for creating decent work has been weak or non-existent. There are still too many companies and Governments worldwide that do not respect human and labour rights
“The Commission was right to point to the UN Agenda 2030, ILO Conventions such as the one that obliges EU member states to eliminate forced labour, and the European Pillar of Social Rights as reference points for decent work.
“The only thing that is missing so far is action. The ETUC urges the European Commission, member states and the European Parliament to get behind this initiative and to mobilise the EU’s soft and hard power to take determined action to deliver decent work worldwide.”
