2000/581/EC: Commission Recommendation of 15 September 2000 on the ratification of International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention No 182 of 17 June 1999 concerning the prohibition and immediate action for the elimination of the worst forms of child labour (notified under document number C(2000) 2674)
Date: 2000-09-15
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: International Labour Organisation, child labour, child protection, international convention, ratification of an agreement, youth employment

28.9.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 243/41

COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION

of 15 September 2000

on the ratification of International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention No 182 of 17 June 1999
concerning the prohibition and immediate action for the elimination of the worst forms of child
labour

(notified under document number C(2000) 2674)

(2000/581/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community, and in particular the second indent of Article 211
thereof,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

ILO Convention No 182 concerning the prohibition and
immediate action for the elimination of the worst forms
of child labour of 17 June 1999 requires ratifying States
to take immediate and effective measures to secure the
prohibition and elimination of the worst of child labour
as a matter of urgency.

ILO Convention No 182 was adopted unanimously at
the 1999 International Labour Conference.

ILO Convention No 138 concerning the minimum age
for admission to employment of 26 June 1973 provides
that the minimum age for admission to any type of
employment or work which by its nature or the circum-
stances in which it is carried out is likely to jeopardise
the health, safety or morals of young persons shall not
be less than 18 years.

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the
Child of 20 November 1989 recognises the right of the
child to be protected from economic exploitation and
from performing any work that is likely to be harzadous
or to interfere with the child's education, or to be
harmful to the child's health or physical, mental, spiri-
tual, moral or social development.

The aim of ILO Convention No 182, the effective elimi-
nation of the worst forms of child labour,
is also a
long-standing objective of the Community.

Council Directive 94/33/EC of 22 June 1994 on the
protection of young people at work provides that
Member States shall ensure that young people are
protected against economic exploitation and against any
work likely to harm their safety, health or physical,
mental, moral or social development or to jeopardise
their education.

(7)

(8)

(9)

(10)

(11)

The 1999 EU Annual Report on Human Rights
welcomes the adoption of ILO Convention No 182 and
calls for rapid ratification and implementation of the
new Convention.

The European Union, in its statement on the rights of
the child delivered to the 56th session of the United
Nations Commission on Human Rights on 11 April
2000, strongly encouraged States that have not yet done
so to ratify ILO Conventions No 138 and No 182.

The Community is committed to promoting respect for
fundamental labour standards, reflecting the Communi-
ty's commitment to democracy and the rule of law, and
to respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.

The Community strongly supports international efforts
to implement effectively the ILO's Declaration on funda-
mental principles and rights at work.

The widest possible ratification of ILO Convention No
182 will reinforce its effectiveness as a standard of
universal validity,

HEREBY RECOMMENDS:

— that Member States, which have not yet done so, ratify the
ILO Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention, adopted on
17 June 1999,

— that Member States inform the Commission, within a
period of one year from publication of this recommenda-
tion, of the steps taken pursuant to it.

Done at Brussels, 15 September 2000.

For the Commission

Anna DIAMANTOPOULOU

Member of the Commission