WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2661/97 by Patricia McKENNA to the Council. Need to incorporate conventions of the International Labour Organization into the World Trade Organization
Date: 1997-09-01
Institutions: European Parliament, MCKENNA
Subjects: International Labour Organisation, World Trade Organisation, labour law, labour standard, non-governmental organisation, trade union rights

C 82/124

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

17. 3. 98

Belgium,  Spain,  France,  Ireland,  Italy,  Austria,  Sweden  and  the  United  Kingdom  have  set  upgrading  and
recycling aims in one form or another within their means of transposing Directive 94/62+EEC in order to achieve
the result required by Article 6. Belgium and Austria have asked the Commission for an authorisation to exceed
the maximum targets provided for in Article 6(1) of the Directive. Scope for this is provided by Article 6(6) of the
Directive. The Commission has so far not taken any decision.

The Commission has been notified by Finland, the Netherlands and Portugal of draft regulations laying down the
upgrading and recycling rates. The draft Finnish and Portuguese measures have still not been adopted. The Dutch
authorities have still not informed the Commission of the adoption of their draft.

The Commission is unaware of any upgrading and recycling targets laid down in the Danish national legislation
transposing Directive 94/62/EC.

Greece and Luxembourg have still not transposed the Directive and, to the Commission’s knowledge, have not
set any packaging waste upgrading or recycling targets.

(1)  Europe’e environment statistical compendium for the Dobris assessment (ISBN 92-827-4713-1).
(2)  See pages 282-285.
(3)  Commission Decision of 3 February 1997 introducing tables corresponding to the system of databases in accordance with Parliament and

Council Directive 94/62/EC on packaging and packaging waste (OJ L 52, 22.2.1997).

(98/C 82/201)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2661/97

by Patricia McKenna (V) to the Council

(1 September 1997)

Subject: Need  to  incorporate  conventions  of  the  International  Labour  Organization  into  the  World  Trade

Organization

Solidar, the alliance of non-governmental organizations working on worker and trade union rights, has launched
a campaign urging the incorporation of seven key conventions of the International Labour Organization (ILO)
into the World Trade Organization (WTO).

The conventions are aimed at protecting fundamental rights in the workplace, including the right to join a trade
union, the right not to be subject to slavery or forced labour, the right to one(cid:146)s own childhood and the right not to
be subject to negative discrimination on grounds of sex, race, religion, ethnic or political opinions.

Does  the  Council  support  the  proposals  made  by  Solidar?  Will  it  work  so  that  the  WTO  commits  itself  to
respecting worker and trade union rights along the lines suggested?

Answer

(28 October 1997)

The  first  WTO  Ministerial  Conference  held  in  Singapore  from  9  to  13  December  1996  studied  at  length  the
problem of fundamental labour standards. In this context, the Council would remind the Honourable Member
that the final declaration adopted by that Conference with the European Union(cid:146)s approval established clearly that
the  ILO  was  the  competent  body  for  setting  and  dealing  with  such  standards.  The  declaration  pointed  out
however that the WTO and ILO Secretariats (cid:147)will continue their existing cooperation(cid:148).

(98/C 82/202)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2663/97

by Eryl McNally (PSE) to the Commission

(25 July 1997)

Subject: Rational Planning Techniques in the Electricity and Gas Distribution Sectors

What has happened to the Rational Planning Techniques Directive?