COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL AND THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE on decent work worldwide for a global just transition and a sustainable recovery
Date: 2022-02-23
Institutions: Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, European Commission
Subjects: EU employment policy, child labour, economic recovery, labour law, labour market, slavery, social dialogue, social security, sustainable development, working conditions

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 23.2.2022  COM(2022) 66 final  COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL AND THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE on decent work worldwide     for a global just transition and a sustainable recovery  
 
 
‘Doing business around the world, global trade – all that is good and necessary.  
But this can never be done at the expense of people’s dignity and freedom… 
Human rights are not for sale – at any price.’  

President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen 
State of the Union Address, 15 September 2021 

1.  INTRODUCTION 

According to the latest global estimates1, 160 million children worldwide are in child labour. 
That  is  one  in  ten  children  in  the  world,  and  their  number  is  growing.  Nearly  half  of  these 
children  are  performing  hazardous  work.  At  the  same  time,  25  million  people  worldwide2 
were in a situation of forced labour. These figures act as a stark reminder that decent work is 
still not a reality for hundreds of millions of people worldwide, despite a clear commitment by 
the international community in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.  

In  parallel,  global  megatrends  are  rapidly  transforming  the  world  of  work.  Technological 
advances,  the  environmental  and  climate  crisis,  demographic  change  and  globalisation  are 
drivers  of  this  development.  These  transformations  have  the  potential  to  generate  economic 
growth and create new job opportunities, but in some instances they can also contribute to a 
lowering of labour standards.  

Promoting  decent  work  is  increasingly  coming  into  focus  in  the  international  context, 
particularly  through  the  work  of  the  International  Labour  Organization  (ILO),  the  United 
Nations (UN)3 and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), 
but also within the G7 and G20 groups of nations4. International commitments and guidance5 
reflect rising concerns that globalisation is not always happening in a sustainable manner and 
address the role of business corporations in this regard.  

The EU is committed to shaping the global agenda on decent work and promoting a human-
centred future of work. The EU aspires to champion decent work both at home and around the 
world,  in  line  with  the  UN  2030  Agenda  for  Sustainable  Development.  Within  the  EU,  the 

1 ILO/UNICEF Child Labour Report, June 2021 (https://data.unicef.org/resources/child-labour-2020-global-estimates-trends-
and-the-road-forward/). 
2 https://www.ilo.org/global/topics/forced-labour/lang--en/index.htm 
3 The 2008 International Labour Organization (ILO) Declaration on Social Justice for a Fair Globalization described, for the 
first time, the universal concept of decent work; the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development commits to 
achieving decent work for all by 2030; and the 2019 ILO Centenary Declaration for the Future of Work includes a human-
centred  approach  to  respond  to  transformative  changes  driven  by  technological  innovations,  demographic  shifts,  climate 
(https://www.ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/mission-and-objectives/centenary-declaration/lang--
change 
en/index.htm). 
4 See Carbis Bay G7 summit communique of 13 June 2021. 
5 Including e.g. the 2011 UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, the 2011 OECD Guidelines for 
Multinational Enterprises and the 2017 ILO Tripartite Declaration of Principles concerning Multinational Enterprises and 
Social Policy. 

and  globalisation 

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European  Pillar  of  Social  Rights  Action  Plan6,  as  welcomed  by  the  Porto  Summit  in  May 
2021, will help to further these objectives.  

As a responsible global player, supporting the universal values of human rights, and a major 
economic  power,  the  EU  takes  a  strong  stance  on  upholding  and  updating  the  multilateral 
rules-based global order7, including international labour standards, in line with the concept of 
open strategic autonomy8 and as reflected in the Global Gateway9.  

The EU economy is connected to millions of workers around the world through global supply 
chains,  while  EU  consumers  are  increasingly  demanding  goods,  which  are  produced  in  a 
sustainable and fair way that ensures decent work of those who produce them. As reflected in 
debates  in  the  Conference  on  the  Future  of  Europe,  European  citizens  expect  the  EU  to  act 
and the Commission takes that responsibility seriously. It is also in the interest of EU workers 
and  companies,  as  well  as  responsible  public  and  private  actors  around  the  world,  to 
strengthen the respect of decent work globally and thereby avoid a race to the bottom based 
on a model of attracting investment by lowering labour protection standards. 

The  COVID-19  pandemic  has  exacerbated  income  and  labour  market  inequalities10  and 
disproportionately  affected  women  and  vulnerable  and  disadvantaged  groups  such  as  young 
people and children, persons with disabilities, older persons, migrant workers and workers in 
the informal economy. The pandemic has aggravated occupational health and safety and the 
exercise of fundamental labour rights11 and it has highlighted the urgency of promoting decent 
work including in global supply chains. 

Millions of workers  are  affected by  health-  and life-threatening workplaces and suffer  from 
in-work poverty, excessive working hours, discrimination, harassment and violence, including 
gender-based violence, without the freedom to associate12. People working in labour-intensive 
sectors  such  as  agriculture,  fisheries  and  textiles  are  particularly  affected.  Poor  living  and 
working conditions are linked to various factors such as the stage of economic development, 

6 COM(2021) 102 final of 4.3.2021 
7 See Joint Communication on strengthening the EU’s contribution to rules-based multilateralism that underlines the 
importance of multilateralism for a fair and sustainable recovery, https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-
content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52021JC0003&from=EN 
8 https://ec.europa.eu/info/strategy/strategic-planning/strategic-foresight/2021-strategic-foresight-report_en 
9 https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/default/files/joint_communication_global_gateway.pdf 
10 For example the eighth edition of the ILO Monitor: COVID-19 and the world of work, warns that without concrete 
financial and technical support, a “great divergence” in employment recovery trends between developed and developing 
countries will persist. 
11 https://www.ilo.org/infostories/en-GB/Campaigns/covid19/globalcall#covid-impact  
12 About 21 Percent of all employees lived in poverty in 2018, https://ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---dgreports/---
stat/documents/publication/wcms_696387.pdf, while the COVID-19 crisis may have pushed 71 million to 100 million more 
people in extreme poverty, https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---dgreports/---dcomm/---
publ/documents/publication/wcms_762534.pdf; each year 1.9 million people die and 360 million have an accident and an 
estimated 479 million workers work long working hours of 55 hours/week or more, https://www.ilo.org/global/topics/safety-
and-health-at-work/lang--en/index.htm.  

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low levels of legislation on labour and social protection13, weak law enforcement, ineffective 
public administration and irresponsible business practices.  

The  prospect  of  an  asymmetric  global  recovery  risks  aggravating  the  poor  conditions  even 
further and of entrenching them more deeply.  As countries strive to  “build back better” and 
implement the clean energy transition and decarbonisation of the economy, new distributional 
impacts are to be expected, especially in certain regions, sectors and/or social groups with a 
strong reliance on fossil fuels. New jobs will be created, while some jobs will be replaced and 
others  redefined14.  It  is  vital  for  countries  to  anticipate  these  changes  and  up-  and  reskill 
workers accordingly.  The  transition  of the global economy and of labour markets following 
the  climate  change  and  other  global  megatrends  must  be  socially  fair  and  just15,  which  will 
require  strong  political  commitment  and  powerful  action  based  on  a  human-centred 
approach16. 

This Communication sets out how the European Union will act upon these challenges, putting 
the  promotion  of  decent  work  worldwide  at  the  heart  of  a  just  transition  and  an  inclusive, 
sustainable and resilient recovery from the pandemic17. This approach is in line with the ILO 
Global Call to Action18. 

13 According to the ILO brief on financing gaps in social protection, more than half of the world’s population has no social 
protection coverage whatsoever, September 2020 (https://www.social-protection.org/gimi/RessourcePDF.action?id=56836). 
14 https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC126047 
15 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?qid=1576150542719&uri=COM%3A2019%3A640%3AFIN; see also 
Communication on A Strong Social Europe for Just Transition, COM (2020) 14 final. 
16 The human-centred approach includes to strengthen the capacity of all people to benefit from the opportunities of a 
changing world of work, to strengthen the institutions of work to ensure adequate protection of all workers, reaffirming the 
continued relevance of the employment relationship, ensure a transition from informality to formality and promoting 
sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all, see also ILO 
Centenary Declaration, 
https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/@ed_norm/@relconf/documents/meetingdocument/wcms_711674.pdf. 
17 Communication on the Global EU response to COVID-19, JOIN(2020) 11 final of 8.4.2020. See also calls for a 
Communication on decent work worldwide by the Council in the Council Conclusions on Human Rights and Decent Work in 
Global Supply Chains (https://www.consilium.europa.eu/media/46999/st13512-en20.pdf) and Council Conclusions on the 
Future of Work: The European Union promoting the ILO Centenary Declaration 
(https://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/ST-13436-2019-INIT/en/pdf). 
18 https://www.ilo.org/infostories/en-GB/Campaigns/covid19/globalcall#better-normal 

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2.  A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO PROMOTING DECENT WORK WORLDWIDE 

The EU approach supports the universal concept of decent work as developed by the ILO 
and as reflected in the UN Sustainable Development Goals, consisting of the four inseparable 
and mutually reinforcing objectives of productive employment, standards and rights at work, 
social  protection  and  social  dialogue19.  Gender  equality  and  non-discrimination20  are  cross-
cutting issues in these objectives. 

The  EU’s  comprehensive  approach  aims  at  effective  promotion  of  decent  work  for  all. 
and  specifically  addresses  vulnerable  and  disadvantaged  groups  such  as  children  and  young 
people,  older  workers,  migrant  workers,  persons  with  disabilities,  ethnic  minorities  and 
workers in the informal economy. It also aims to promote gender equality including through 
women’s economic empowerment, increasing women’s participation on the labour market in 
all  sectors  and  at  all  levels  and  ensuring  equal  pay  for  work  of  equal  value21.  This 
comprehensive  approach  addresses  workers  in  domestic  markets  in  third  countries  and  in 

19 https://www.ilo.org/global/topics/decent-work/lang--en/index.htm 
20 Discrimination based on sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation. 
21 Gender Action Plan III, https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/IP_20_2184; Gender Equality Strategy 
2020-2025, EUR-Lex - 52020DC0152 - EN - EUR-Lex (europa.eu). 

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global supply chains. It includes all relevant stakeholders: governments, social partners, civil 
society, business actors and consumers. The comprehensiveness of EU action is expressed by 
different EU initiatives in the area22, including the proposal for a Corporate Sustainability Due 
Diligence  Directive23  that  is  adopted  together  with  this  Communication,  and  the  ongoing 
review of the 15-point Action Plan on Trade and Sustainable Development in the EU’s trade 
policy24.  

A specific focus on eradication of child labour and forced labour 

The  United  Nations  declared  2021  the  International  Year  for  the  Elimination  of  Child 
Labour25, as a rallying call for the international community to step up its efforts to eradicate 
child labour by 2025. Following a decrease in child labour from 2000 to  2016, the absolute 
number  of  children  in  child  labour  increased  by  8.4  million  from  2016  to  2020.  Due  to  the 
COVID-19  pandemic,  and  related  economic  shocks  and  school  closures,  an  additional  9 
million  children  are  at  risk  of  being  pushed  into  child  labour  by  the  end  of  202226,  while 
children  already  in  child  labour  may  be  working  longer  hours  or  under  worsening 
conditions27.  If  there  is  insufficient  social  protection  coverage,  this  number  could  rise  to  46 
million additional victims of child labour. 

Child labour in numbers28 

22 See section 3 of this Communication and also Commission Staff Working Document ‘Promote decent work worldwide’, 
SWD(2020) 235 final of 20.10.2020. 
23 COM(2022) 71 
24 https://trade.ec.europa.eu/dialogue/meetdetails.cfm?meet=11601 
25 https://www.ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/newsroom/news/WCMS_766351/lang--en/index.htm 
26 https://www.unicef.org/press-releases/child-labour-rises-160-million-first-increase-two-decades 
27 https://www.ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/newsroom/news/WCMS_800090/lang--en/index.htm 
28 https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_norm/---ipec/documents/publication/wcms_797515.pdf 

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In line with the Commission’s zero tolerance policy towards child labour, the elimination of 
child  labour  is  a  priority  within  its  comprehensive  approach  of  promoting  decent  work 

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worldwide. It needs to be kept at the forefront of reflections in all relevant policy areas. EU 
actions in this area include supporting and enforcing effective legislation against child labour 
promoting social welfare programmes for poor households that are vulnerable to child labour; 
and  strengthening  access  to  education,  including  in  situations  of  conflict  or  crisis  and  for 
children  who  are  on  the  move  both  within  and  between  countries,  and  providing  them  with 
protection services. The EU Comprehensive Strategy on the Rights of the Child29 engages the 
Commission  to  work towards  making  EU  supply  chains  free  of  child  labour  and  to  provide 
technical assistance to strengthen labour inspection systems. 

29 Communication on EU strategy on the rights of the child, COM/2021/142 final. 

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Forced labour in numbers30 

30 https://www.ilo.org/global/topics/forced-labour/lang--en/index.htm; forced labour exists in global value chains; 
https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_norm/---ipec/documents/publication/wcms_653986.pdf; 
https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_norm/---ipec/documents/publication/wcms_653990.pdf. 

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The eradication of child labour and forced labour can only be achieved if other objectives of 
decent  work,  such  as  sustainable  business  conduct,  social  dialogue,  freedom  of  association, 
collective bargaining and social protection, are promoted. This demonstrates the effectiveness 
of a comprehensive approach to promoting decent work worldwide. 

3.  HOW IS EU PROMOTING DECENT WORK WORLDWIDE 

3.1. EU policies and initiatives with outreach beyond the EU 

Internal  EU  action  also  has  implications  for  the  well-being  of  workers  around  the  globe.  In 
line with the EU’s commitment to promote decent work in global supply chains31, EU policies 
set standards that are frontrunners for corporate responsibility and transparency globally; they 
set  frameworks  for  sustainable  finance,  sustainable  production  and  consumption,  and 
strengthen the public sector in leading by example in public procurement activities. They are 
an  essential  element  of  the  European  Green  Deal32,  which  underlines  that  green  and  social 
sustainability need to go hand in hand to ensure a socially just transition worldwide. The EU 
initiatives pursuing decent work are both of a general and a sector-specific nature. In addition, 
EU has launched a number of dedicated initiatives to combat child and forced labour.  

3.1.1 Initiatives covering Decent Work 

Several  EU  policies  and  strategies  relate  to  the  promotion  of  decent  work  worldwide, 
including  in  global  supply  chains33.  They  use  a  variety  of  tools  including  due  diligence 
requirements  for  businesses,  disclosure  standards  on  social  matters  and  transparency  and 
information  provisions  on  the  sustainability  of  products  allowing  consumers  to  make  more 
informed choices. 

31 Communication on the Global EU response to COVID-19, JOIN/2020/11 final. 
32 The European Green Deal, COM(2019) 640 final of 11.12.2019.  
33 See also The Zero Pollution Ambition for a Toxic-Free Environment aims at ensuring that no harm to human health or the 
environment is caused by pollution (see COM(2021) 400) or the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability (COM(2020) 667 
final) that includes working towards more ambitious global action on the sustainable management of chemicals worldwide 
which affect workers’ safety around the world. 

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In  its  proposal  for  a  Corporate  Sustainability  Due  Diligence  Directive,  the  European 
Commission  sets  out  due  diligence  obligations  for  large  companies  over  a  certain  threshold 
and for certain other companies in particularly sensitive sectors, to identify, prevent, mitigate 
and account for actual and potential adverse impacts on human rights, including labour rights, 
and the environment along global supply chains, in accordance with international human and 
labour  rights  standards.  The  proposal  will  set  out  a  horizontal  framework  to  ensure  that 
businesses  operating  in  the  single  market  contribute  to  the  respect  of  the  human  rights  and 
environment  in  their  own  operations  and  through  their  value  chains,  by  mitigating  adverse 
impacts  on  human  rights  and  the  environment,  and  having  an  appropriate  governance, 
management  systems  and  measures  in  place.  The  proposal  also  provides  for  an  effective 
enforcement mechanism through a combination of administrative sanctions and civil liability.  

The  EU  is  taking  various  policy  measures  on  sustainable  finance  to  redirect  private 
investment flows towards economic activities that are sustainable from both an environmental 
and a social perspective34. Europe is the region with one of the largest volumes of sustainable 
investing assets globally, with about EUR 10 trillion in 202035, making sustainable finance a 
powerful  tool  for  promoting  labour  rights  in  supply  chains.  As  presented  in  the  Sustainable 
Finance Strategy of 6 July 2021, the Commission will review disclosure standards regarding 
social and employee matters and respect for human rights in the financial sector, among other 
aspects. Furthermore, the Commission will publish a  report on the possible extension of the 
Taxonomy Regulation36 to cover other sustainability objectives, such as social objectives.  

A  transition  to  a  clean  and  circular  economy  can  provide  opportunities  to  reduce  pollution, 
waste  and  stimulate  product  innovation,  while  at  the  same  time  contributing  positively  to 
sustainable human development, including through the creation of decent jobs37. Following up 
on the Circular Economy Action Plan38, the Commission will promote measures linked to 
environmental and social aspects along the supply chain of products and services.  

Consumers  need  better  and  more  reliable  information  on  the  sustainability  of  goods  and 
services  to  make  informed  choices.  The  Commission  will  promote  decent  work  in  global 
supply chains in upcoming initiatives on EU consumer policies39. 

Under Horizon 2020,  the Commission  supported decent  work-related research, including on 
the role of sustainable market actors for responsible trade40. In consistence with the UN 2030 
Agenda  for  Sustainable  Development,  the  Commission  will  strengthen  promotion  of  decent 
work  worldwide  under  the  European  Framework  Programme  for  Research  and  Innovation, 
Horizon Europe (2021-2027). 

34 https://ec.europa.eu/info/business-economy-euro/banking-and-finance/sustainable-finance/overview-sustainable-
finance_en#action-plan 
35 http://www.gsi-alliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/GSIR-20201.pdf 
36 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex:32020R0852 
37 Chatham House (2020), Promoting a Just Transition to an Inclusive Circular Economy. 
38 A new Circular Economy Action Plan, COM(2020) 98 final of 11.3.2021. 
39 See for example the Initiative Empowering the consumer for the green transition, https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-
regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/12467-Consumer-policy-strengthening-the-role-of-consumers-in-the-green-transition_en. 
40 https://www.smart.uio.no/ 

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Under  EU  development  and  cooperation  instruments,  the  EU  has  been  supporting  the 
implementation  of  the  decent  work  agenda  in  partner  countries  including  via  the  Technical 
Assistance  Facility  Socieux+  that  provides  since  2013  expertise  in  the  area  of  employment 
and social protection. 

3.1.2. Promoting decent work in specific sectors 

Through the initiatives in the Farm to Fork Strategy41, the Commission will amongst others 
promote decent work in global food supply chains, including safe and fair working conditions 
and rights. The considerations of workers’ social protection, working and housing conditions 
as well as  protection of  health and safety will play  a  major role in  building fair, strong and 
sustainable food systems. 

The  Raw  Materials  Initiative42  and  the  Critical  Raw  Materials  Action  Plan43  aim  for  a 
fairer  and  more  sustainable  sourcing  of  raw  materials  from  global  markets.  They  promote 
responsible mining practices for critical raw materials, given that high supply concentration of 
raw  materials  in  countries  with  low  standards  of  governance  may  exacerbate  environmental 
and social problems. In this connection, through its cooperation programmes, the Commission 
is engaged in supporting the sustainable development of the mineral resources in its partner 
countries.  The  Commission  supports  the  implementation  of  Regulation  (EU)  2017/82144, 
which  sets  out  due  diligence  obligations  for  EU  importers  of  certain  metals  and  minerals 
originating from conflict-affected and high-risk areas, by means of guidance documents and 
accompanying  measures.  The  Commission  proposal  for  a  Regulation  concerning  batteries 
and waste batteries45 contains obligations for economic operators to carry out due diligence 
obligations on their supply chains. 

In  recent  years,  the  EU  has  developed  a  set  of  policies  and  supported  actions  to  address 
decent work in the garment sector and reduce vulnerabilities, making supply chains more 
sustainable. For instance, the EU has supported Better Work46 to improve working conditions 
in the garment industry and the Vision Zero Fund47 to improve occupational health and safety 
in  the  garment  sector48.  The  EU  also  supports  interventions  to  increase  knowledge  and 
awareness  aiming  to  improve  working  conditions  in  the  garment  sector  through  responsible 

41 A Farm to Fork Strategy for a fair, healthy and environmentally-friendly food system, COM(2020) 381 final of 20.5.2020. 
42 https://ec.europa.eu/growth/sectors/raw-materials/policy-and-strategy-raw-materials_en 
43 COM(2020) 474 final 
44 Regulation laying down supply chain due diligence obligations for Union importers of tin, tantalum and tungsten, their 
ores, and gold originating from conflict-affected and high-risk areas, (EU) 2017/821 of 17.5.2017.  
45 Proposal for a Regulation concerning batteries and waste batteries, COM(2020) 798 final of 10.12.2020. 
46 Better work is a partnership between the UN’s International Labour Organization and the International Finance 
Corporation, a member of the World Bank Group, Better Work brings diverse groups together – governments, global brands, 
factory owners, and unions and workers – to improve working conditions in the garment industry and make the sector more 
competitive, https://betterwork.org/. 
47 The Vision Zero Fund was launched by the G7 and endorsed by the G20. It is part of Safety & Health for All, an ILO 
flagship programme building a culture of safe, healthy work. By mobilising governments, employers, workers and the private 
sector in communities and countries around the world, the Vision Zero Fund builds sustainable, safe and healthy supply 
chains, https://www.ilo.org/vzf/. 
48 See also as another EU funded project promoting decent work in ghe garment supply chain – “Sustainable Supply Chains 
to Build Forward Better”, https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_dialogue/---
sector/documents/genericdocument/wcms_791245.pdf 

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production  and  consumption49.  In  the  framework  of  the  Circular  Economy  Action  Plan,  the 
Commission  is  preparing  a  strategy  for  sustainable  textiles,  focusing  on  a  sustainable 
recovery  from  the  COVID-19  crisis50  and  to  reduce  the  sector‘s  environmental  and  social 
impacts. In this context, the EU will take into account current challenges in the textiles value 
chain,  including  the need to  protect  human rights,  including  labour rights, and promote due 
diligence across supply chains in the textile sector. Such efforts will be ensured primarily by 
the proposed Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive. 

The EU will seek to secure commitments in all EU air transport agreements to provide high 
levels of labour protection in the aviation sector, in line with international labour standards51. 

The  EU  will  include  labour  provisions  on  protection  of  workers  in  all  EU  bilateral  and 
multilateral  agreements  for  international  road  transport  and  in  its  Association 
Agreements with third countries. It will also review the European Agreement concerning the 
Work  of  Crews  of  Vehicles  engaged  in  International  Road  Transport  (AETR)  to  include 
relevant  labour-related  EU  acquis  and  will  align  the  multilateral  Interbus  Agreement  on  the 
occasional carriage of passengers by coach and bus with the EU social rules in road transport.  

All  EU  Member  States  have  ratified  the  international  Maritime  Labour  Convention  (MLC), 
which regulates the working conditions in the maritime transport. The EU will continue to 
work towards enforcing the provisions of the convention in cooperation with IMO and ILO, 
and  propose  including  commitments  linked  to  the  effective  implementation  of  the  MLC  in 
maritime-related EU agreements with third countries. 

Through  its  International  Ocean  Governance  agenda  and  Common  Fisheries  Policy,  the 
EU promotes decent work in fisheries in line with the objectives of the International Labour 
Organization  (ILO),  the  International  Maritime  Organization  (IMO)  and  the  UN  Food  and 
Agriculture  Organization  (FAO)  and  in  cooperation  with  partner  countries.  The  EU  will 
continue promoting the ratification and effective implementation of the ILO Work in Fishing 
Convention  C  188,  and  other  relevant  international  standards52.  To  this  aim,  it  uses  the 
Sustainable  Fisheries  Partnership  Agreements 
the 
implementation of a coherent set of social provisions, and the Regional Fisheries Management 
Organizations where appropriate. In bilateral dialogues and in regional and international fora, 
the Commission  and the High Representative will address  forced labour  and other  forms  of 
work that violate human rights in the area of fisheries, including when detected in the context 
of the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing53. 

in  particular 

(SFPAs), 

through 

49 For example: Beyond Your Clothes; Together for Decent Leather | Rights for Workers. 
50 https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/12822-EU-strategy-for-sustainable-textiles_en 
51 This includes promoting the objectives included in the ILO Decent Work Agenda and the ILO Declaration on Social 
Justice for a Fair Globalization of 2008 and the Fundamental Rights and Principles at Work, as well as the commitment to 
ratify outstanding ILO fundamental conventions and to consider ratifying other ILO conventions. In the absence of EU 
aviation agreements, the Commission will invite EU Member States to follow the EU approach of including labour 
provisions in their aviation agreements. 
52 Including the IMO Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watch keeping for Fishing Vessel Personnel 
(STCW-F). 
53 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52016JC0049 

12 

 
 
                                                           
With  its  Action  Plan  for  the  Social  Economy54,  the  Commission  will  further  promote  the 
social  economy  at  international  level  for  example  through  the  Instrument  for  Pre-accession 
Assistance, the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instruments and 
by  improving  the  access  to  finance  for  social  entrepreneurs  in  the  Western  Balkans,  the 
Eastern Partnership and Southern Neighbourhood. There is also scope to strengthen dialogue 
and collaboration on the social economy with key international partners. 

3.1.3. Increased efforts to combat forced labour and child labour 

Respect  for  human  dignity  and  the  universality  and  indivisibility  of  human  rights  are 
firmly  enshrined  in  the  Treaty.  In  addition,  the  Charter  of  Fundamental  Rights  of  the 
European Union explicitly prohibits slavery and forced labour. In order to give effect to these 
provisions, the Commission mobilises all available horizontal and sector-specific initiatives to 
combat  forced  labour  and  child  labour,  working  with  Member  States  authorities  as  well  as 
private businesses and other stakeholders. 

All  27 EU Member States have ratified the fundamental Conventions  of the International 
Labour  Organization  (ILO)  on  forced  labour  and  child  labour55.  As  a  result,  they  are 
legally obliged to prevent and eliminate the use of forced labour and to regularly report to the 
ILO’s standards supervisory bodies. The references to the relevant ILO conventions are also 
included  in  numerous  free  trade  agreements  concluded  by  the  Union56.  Under  the  EU 
Regulation  on  the  Generalised  Scheme  of  Preferences,  the  EU  can  grant  unilateral  trade 
preferences  on  the  condition  that  benefitting  countries  comply  with  international  labour 
standards, including on the elimination of child and forced labour. 

The  EU  Anti-Trafficking  Directive  requires  Member  States  to  ensure  that  trafficking  in 
human beings, including for the purpose of forced labour, is punishable by law. The Directive 
also requires Member States to consider criminalising the knowing use of exploited services. 
However,  the  final  decision  is  left  to  the  Member  States,  which  has  led  to  a  diverse  legal 
landscape across the EU. Given the prevalence of human trafficking across the Union and the 
divergences of national  legal  frameworks, Commission is  carrying  out  an assessment of the 
possibility  to  have  minimum  EU  rules  criminalising  the  use  of  exploited  services  of 
trafficking  victims.  Meanwhile,  the  Commission  also  organises  awareness  campaigns  in 
cooperation with civil society organisations to help detect and prevent the practice.  

Socially  responsible  public  procurement  is  a  powerful  tool  to  combat  forced  labour  and 
child  labour.  Given  that  public  procurement  presents  around  14%  of  the  EU’s  GDP 
(approximately  EUR  2  trillion  annually),  it  can  provide  strong  incentives  to  companies  to 
adopt socially responsible management practices. The public procurement Directives require 
Member  States  to  take  appropriate  measures  to  ensure  that  contractors  and  suppliers 
effectively comply with the obligations stemming from the ILO conventions, including in the 
area  of  forced  labour  and  child  labour.  To  raise  contracting  authorities’  awareness  of  the 

54 https://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=1537&langId=en 
55 https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---europe/---ro-geneva/---ilo-brussels/documents/publication/wcms_195135.pdf 
56 https://ec.europa.eu/trade/policy/policy-making/sustainable-development/#_labour-rights 

13 

 
 
                                                           
potential  benefits  of  socially  responsible  public  procurement,  the  Commission  has  recently 
updated its “Buying Social”-guide57. 

The fight against forced labour cannot be won by public authorities alone. Private businesses 
have  an  important  role  to  play.  This  is  why,  as  part  of  the  new  EU  trade  policy,  the 
Commission  promotes  due  diligence  in  line  with  international  guidelines  and  principles  to 
ensure that forced labour does not find a place in the value chains of EU companies. In this 
context,  the  Commission  and  the  European  External  Action  Service  published  in  July  2021 
guidance to assist EU businesses in taking appropriate measures to address the risk of forced 
labour  in  their  operations  and  supply  chains,  as  a  bridge  towards  mandatory  horizontal  due 
diligence legislation58. In its proposal for a Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive59, 
the  Commission  also  put  forward  detailed  reporting  requirements  with  respect  to  labour 
rights, such as the elimination of child and forced labour, including in global supply chains. 

The Commission is also promoting industry-led strategies in the sectors most at risk. For 
example, the Clear Cotton project puts forward an integrated approach to eliminate child and 
forced labour in the cotton, textile and garment supply chains60. The elimination of child and 
forced labour also takes up a prominent place in the Raw Materials Initiative and the Critical 
Raw Materials Action Plan. 

Despite  these  important  legislative  steps,  further  action  is  needed  to  effectively  tackle 
forced labour. This is why President von der Leyen announced an initiative banning products 
made by forced labour from the Single Market. To this effect, the Commission is preparing a 
new  legislative  initiative,  which  will  effectively  prohibit  the  placing  on  the  EU  market  of 
products made by forced labour, including forced child labour.  The initiative will cover both 
domestic  and  imported  products  and  combine  a  ban  with  a  robust,  risk-based  enforcement 
framework.  The  new  instrument  will  build  on  international  standards  and  complement 
existing horizontal and sectoral EU initiatives, in particular the due diligence and transparency 
obligations. 

The fight against child labour requires  additional action. Child labour has very complex 
drivers  such  as  economic  hardship,  lack  of  adequate  educational  opportunities,  popular 
perceptions  and  local  customs  related  to  the  role  of  children  in  society.  As  a  result,  the 
eradication of child labour requires a holistic approach to sustainable economic development, 
including  broad-based  measures  and  adequately  funded  initiatives  to  support  quality 
education,  decent  income  and  social  protection  for  all.  In  line  with  the  EU  strategy  on  the 

57  Buying  Social  –  A  guide  to  taking  account  of  social  considerations  in  public  procurement  –  Second  edition  (2021/C 
237/01),  The  guide  explains  in  a  practical  way  the  opportunities  offered  by  the  existing  EU  legal  framework  for  public 
authorities to take into account social considerations in their public procurement and offers good practices and examples of 
what can be achieved by making active use of socially responsible public procurement practices.  
58 https://trade.ec.europa.eu/doclib/docs/2021/july/tradoc_159709.pdf 
59 Commission proposal COM(2021) 189 final of 21.04.2021.  
60 The CLEAR Cotton project supports the elimination of child labour and forced labour in the cotton, textile and garment 
value chains in target producing countries (Burkina Faso, Mali, Pakistan, and Peru). It is implemented by the ILO in 
collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), CLEAR Cotton: Eliminating child labour and forced labour 
in the cotton, textile and garment supply chains; https://www.ilo.org/ipec/projects/global/clearcotton/lang--en/index.htm. 

14 

 
 
                                                           
Rights  of  the  Child,  the  Commission  supports  governments,  local  actors  and  businesses, 
especially in the most affected countries. 

Key tools: 

-  Promoting  human  rights  and  environmental  due  diligence  by  companies,  including 
through legislation, to ensure identification, prevention, mitigation and accountability 
for actual and potential adverse impacts on human rights, including labour rights, and 
the environment along global supply chains. 

-  Banning of products made by forced labour from being placed on the EU market. 

-  Strengthening  companies’  disclosure  of  information  on  sustainability  aspects, 
including on decent work in global supply chains, to enhance sustainable investments 
and transparency for other stakeholders. 

-  Providing  guidance  and  strong  legal  provisions  on  socially  sustainable  public 
procurement and making sustainable products the norm to enhance fair consumption. 

-  Using EU sectoral policies, including those on food, minerals, textiles, fisheries and 
transport, including maritime, to strengthen respect for international labour standards 
and the ratification and implementation of international labour conventions. 

3.2. EU bilateral and regional relations  

In  its  trade  policy,  the  EU  expects  its  trading  partners  to  respect  international  labour 
standards.  Free  trade  and  investment  agreements  play  an  essential  role  in  this  regard,  by 
including obligations to comply with international labour standards and promote decent work 
through national laws and practices, including effective labour inspection. For instance, these 
provisions  incentivised  South  Korea  to  ratify  three  fundamental  ILO  conventions  in  April 
202161. Furthermore, in 2020 the Commission appointed the Chief Trade Enforcement Officer 
(CTEO) to ensure that its trade partners meet their commitments, including under sustainable 
development chapters. It has also established a single entry point, where EU companies, trade 
organisations or non-governmental organisations can submit complaints. 

The EU will use the ongoing review of the 15-point Action Plan on Trade and Sustainable 
Development to assess the implementation and enforcement of labour provisions in free trade 
agreements.  This  will  include  the  scope  of  commitments,  monitoring  mechanisms,  the 
possibility of sanctions for non-compliance, the essential element clause, the institutional set-
up, working with civil society, and the resources required.  

In the proposal for a new EU Regulation on the Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP 
Regulation)  for  the  period  2024-203462,  the  Commission  has  increased  its  support  for  the 
promotion of international labour standards in GSP beneficiary countries by adding two new 

61 https://www.ilo.org/dyn/normlex/en/f?p=NORMLEXPUB:11200:0::NO::P11200_COUNTRY_ID:103123 
62 https://trade.ec.europa.eu/doclib/press/index.cfm?id=2303 

15 

 
 
                                                           
labour  rights  conventions63  and  by  rendering  the  export  of  goods  made  by  internationally 
prohibited child labour and by forced labour a ground to possibly withdraw trade preferences. 

A  key  objective  of  the  EU’s  international  partnership  policy  is  to  promote  decent  work, 
including social protection, in line with the EU’s strong commitment to fully implement the 
UN  2030  Agenda  for  Sustainable  Development  and  its  Sustainable  Development  Goals, 
which is also reflected in 2017 European Consensus on Development64. Social inclusion and 
decent  work,  paying  a  particular  attention  to  the  elimination  of  child  labour,  is  one  of  the 
priorities  in  the  programming  exercise  for  the  2021-2027  period  under  the  new  “NDICI  – 
Global  Europe”65 to  be defined  at  national,  regional and global level. More specifically, the 
NDICI-GE  Programme  on  Human  Rights  and  Democracy,  as  well  as  other  thematic  and 
geographic programmes, envisage dedicated actions to promote decent work for all, including 
fighting child labour and forced labour, in particular at country and regional levels. NDICI-
GE  supports  actions,  which  include  promoting  social  dialogue  and  providing  assistance  to 
partner countries to ratify and effectively implement up-to-date ILO conventions in particular 
fundamental  and  governance  conventions.  Further  to  the  European  Consensus,  actions  will 
include engagement with the private sector on implementing responsible business conduct in 
global supply chains and support governments and businesses in partner countries in adopting 
responsible  business  conduct  through  relevant  accompanying  measures.  It  also  provides 
opportunities to engage in partner countries with all relevant stakeholders in formalising the 
economy  and  reducing  the  informal  sector,  and  to  share  best  practices  and  approaches  with 
partner countries  through technical  assistance.  Moreover, recognising that  many of the most 
vulnerable  will  continue  to  be  employed  in  the  informal  economy,  development  policy  will 
ensure that measures to promote decent work are extended into the informal economy. Where 
appropriate,  action  will  be  pursued  with  the  Member  States  and  European  development 
financial institutions in the context of Team Europe Initiatives66. 

The  European  Union  also  support  actions  on  protecting  children  in  humanitarian  crises 
settings, including against child labour of the worst kinds67. Activities include prevention of 
and  response  to  violence,  family  tracing  and  reunification,  prevention,  release  and 
reintegration  of  Children  Associated  with  Armed  Forces  and  Armed  Groups.  A  substantial 
investment is made to restore and maintain access to quality education for children affected 
by crises and humanitarian emergencies68. 

63 In addition to the current 15 core UN/ILO conventions on human and labour rights, the new  GSP Regulation adds ILO 
Conventions No. 81 on Labour Inspection and No. 144 on Tripartite Consultation. 
64 https://ec.europa.eu/international-partnerships/european-consensus-development_en 
65 Regulation establishing the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument, (EU) 2021/947 of 
9.6.2021. 
66 https://europa.eu/capacity4dev/wbt-team-europe 
67 According to ILO, the worst kinds of child labour include slavery, child trafficking, serfdom, sexual exploitation and abuse 
as well as forced labour, including for armed forces: https://www.ilo.org/ipec/Campaignandadvocacy/Youthinaction/C182-
Youth-orientated/worstforms/lang--en/index.htm. 
68 https://ec.europa.eu/echo/what/humanitarian-aid/education-emergencies_en 

16 

 
 
                                                           
In accordance with EU enlargement policy, candidate countries and potential candidates are 
expected  to  fully  align  with  the  EU’s  social  policy  and  employment  acquis  and  standards 
before acceding to the EU. The EU continues to promote the implementation of the European 
Pillar  of  Social  Rights  in  the  Western  Balkans,  by  discussing  the  performance  of  candidate 
countries  and  potential  candidates  towards  embedding  principles  of  the  European  Pillar  of 
Social  Rights  in  the  Economic  Reform  Programme  process,  and  supporting  our  partners  in 
improving their data availability and data collection in line with the Social Scoreboard. The 
EU also offers financial support to promote quality employment and supporting the effective 
enforcement of labour rules and standards across the region through the Instrument for Pre-
Accession Assistance (IPA). 

Through  the  European  Neighbourhood  Policy,  the  EU  supports  political  and  economic 
reforms in the EU’s Southern69 and Eastern70 neighbourhood, including the creation of decent 
jobs.  The  EU  will  share,  through  the  European  Neighbourhood  Policy,  best  practices  in 
human  rights  and  fundamental  labour  standards,  between  the  EU  and  Southern  partners  at 
bilateral and regional level, and in the Union for the Mediterranean sectoral policy dialogue 
on employment and labour.  

Through  financial  support  and  other  flagship  initiatives,  the  EU  will  help  Southern 
Neighbourhood partners to design and implement economic reforms (including on trade and 
investment)  that  result  in  decent  employment,  especially  for  women  and  young  people,  and 
support a well-functioning social dialogue at all levels.   

In the Eastern Partnership, policy support for decent work through investing in people and 
human  capital  development  will  remain  a  top  priority71.  The  EU  will  also  mobilise  public 
sector  expertise  to  share  best  practices  and  approaches  with  partner  countries,  for  instance 
through TAIEX and Twinning instruments, which bring administrators in the target countries 
together with their peers from EU Member States. 

Promoting respect for labour rights in third countries is an essential part of the EU’s human 
rights  policies.  Building  on  the  various  instruments  in  this  area,  the  EU  will  ensure,  where 
relevant, coverage of labour rights issues in human rights dialogues with third countries where 
labour  rights  violations  occur,  and  in  further  human  rights  exchanges  with  third  countries, 
including in exchanges by the EU Special Representative for Human Rights. 

The  EU  will  also  ensure  effective  implementation  of  labour  rights  aspects  of  the  Human 
Rights  and  Democracy  Country  Strategies  2021-2024  and  of  the  Action  Plan  on  Human 
Rights  and  Democracy  2020-202472.  This  will  include  the  envisaged  comprehensive  EU 

69 Renewed partnership with the Southern Neighbourhood - A new Agenda for the Mediterranean, JOIN(2021) 2 final of 
9.2.2021. 
70 Eastern Partnership policy beyond 2020 - Reinforcing Resilience - an Eastern Partnership that delivers for all, JOIN(2020) 
7 final of 18.3.2020. 
71 Council Conclusions on Eastern Partnership policy beyond 2020, 11 May 2020. 
72  The  EU  Action  Plan  Human  Rights  on  Human  Rights  and  Democracy  2020-2024  includes  as  a  priority  (point  1.4.i): 
“Promote  decent  work  and  a  human-centred  future  of  work  through  an  updated  EU  approach  ensuring  the  respect  of 
fundamental principles and rights at work, the right to safe and healthy working conditions for all, and a world of work free 

17 

 
 
                                                           
 
framework  for  the  implementation  of  the  UN  Guiding  Principles  on  Business  and  Human 
Rights and the development and implementation of national action plans. 

The  EU  will  further  promote  decent  work  in  financing  actions,  for  instance  when 
implementing  a  financing  operation  (blending  and  guarantees)  or  by  ensuring  that  labour 
rights  are  taken  into  account  when  assessing  respect  for  human  rights  as  a  precondition  for 
granting macro-financial assistance. Future macro-financial assistance programmes will cover 
decent  work,  as  appropriate,  and  the  related  conditions  will  be  identified  jointly  by  the 
Commission services and the EEAS. 

The Commission will engage with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development to 
promote  a  regular  update  of  its  environmental  and  social  policy  to  align  it  with  EU  and 
international  standards  on  supply  chain  responsibility,  including  the  UN  Guiding  Principles 
on Business and Human Rights. Moreover, the EU will work to ensure that the labour rights 
of  the  workers  involved  when  implementing  EIB-financed  schemes  comply  with  the  EIB’s 
environmental and social standards. 

Beyond  the  above,  further  bilateral  and  regional  agreements,  such  as  strategic  EU 
Partnership and Cooperation Agreements, as well as dialogues at various levels with third 
countries  provide  an  opportunity  to  share  EU  expertise  in  the  field  of  labour.  The  EU  will 
promote the inclusion of decent work, including labour rights, in all relevant future or updated 
bilateral  and  regional  agreements  and  dialogues  at  different  levels,  including  strategic 
Partnership and Cooperation Agreements and all committees that implement relevant bilateral 
and  regional  agreements,  such  as  Joint  Commissions  and  thematic  subcommittees.  This 
includes,  for  example,  summits,  ministerial  meetings  and  Senior  Officials  Meetings  in  fora 
such as the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM).  

Key tools: 

-  Promoting  international  labour  standards  in  free  trade  agreements  and  in  unilateral 

trade preferences. 

-  Ensuring decent work  for all as one of the main priorities in the EU’s development 
policy and further financing actions promoting decent work, including in the context 
of Team Europe Initiatives. 

-  Promoting  implementation  of  the  European  Pillar  of  Social  Rights  through  the  EU 
enlargement policy and Economic Reform Programmes and supporting reforms that 
ensure decent employment in the European neighbourhood and enlargement regions. 

-  Promoting respect for labour rights in third countries as an essential part of the EU’s 

human rights policies. 

- 

Including  the  promotion  of  decent  work  and  labour  rights  in  all  relevant  future  or 
updated, bilateral and regional agreements and dialogues. 

of violence and harassment. Promote social dialogue as well as the ratification and effective implementation of relevant ILO 
conventions and protocols. Strengthen responsible management in global supply chains and access to social protection.” 

18 

 
 
                                                                                                                                                                                     
3.3. EU in international and multilateral fora73 

The EU supports the implementation  of decent work-related  United Nations instruments; it 
also  advocates  for  the  topic  of  decent  work  to  be  discussed  and  advanced  in  UN  fora, 
particularly in the context of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The EU has 
strengthened its engagement in UN human rights fora and with partner countries to actively 
promote  and  support  the  global  implementation  of  the  UN  Guiding  Principles  on  Business 
and  Human  Rights.  In  this  context,  the  EU  provides  appropriate  support  to  the  work  of  the 
UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights and participates constructively in the UN 
discussions  on  a  legally  binding  instrument  on  business  and  human  rights  with  the  aim  to 
promote  an  instrument  that  can  effectively  enhance  the  protection  of  victims  of  business-
related human rights violations and abuses and create a more global level playing field. The 
EU  will  intensify  efforts  to  promote  the  Decent  Work  Agenda  in  the  UN  Commission  for 
Social  Development  and  in  the  High  Level  Political  Forum  for  Sustainable  Development, 
taking into account the importance of decent work for achieving the SDGs including the SDG 
8  and  across  the  Agenda.  The  EU  also  promotes  the  rights  of  persons  with  disabilities 
globally, including in relation to work and employment, in line with the UN Convention on 
the Rights  of Persons with  Disabilities (UNCRPD), to  which it is  a party. The Commission 
has pledged to organise regular structured dialogues during the annual UNCRPD Conference 
of State Parties, and in the context of other existing multilateral fora, and enhance cooperation 
with a focus on accessibility and employment. 

labour  standards,  supervising 

their  application,  and  promoting 

In addition, the EU actively contributes to the International Labour Organization processes 
their 
of  setting 
implementation74. The EU will further strengthen its close cooperation with the ILO based on 
the exchange of letters renewed in 2021, particularly through joint action in multilateral fora 
and bilateral and development cooperation, but also through intensified information exchange, 
assistance and regular high-level meetings. The aim is to promote fundamental principles and 
rights at work, as well as other international labour standards, in particular through ratification 
and  effective  implementation  of  up-to-date  ILO  conventions  and  the  promotion  of  gender 
equality.  

The  EU  will  also  engage  with  the  ILO  to  promote  a  human-centred  approach  and  a  just 
transition  to  the  future  of  work,  in  line  with  the  UN  2030  Agenda  for  Sustainable 
Development, the 2008  ILO Declaration on Social  Justice for a Fair Globalization, the  ILO 
Centenary  Declaration  for  the  Future  of  Work,  the  European  Pillar  of  Social  Rights  and 
relevant  European  and  international  norms.  This  engagement  also  aims  to  promote  social 
dialogue  and  work  towards  social  protection  floors  and  decent  working  conditions  for  all, 
including occupational safety and health. The EU supports the efforts to integrate the right to 
safe and healthy working conditions into the ILO framework on fundamental principles and 

73 See also Joint Communication on strengthening the EU’s contribution to rules-based multilateralism that underlines the 
importance of multilateralism for a fair and sustainable recovery, https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-
content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52021JC0003&from=EN. 
74 E.g. https://www.ilo.org/global/standards/WCMS_697996/lang--en/index.htm 

19 

 
 
                                                           
rights  at  work75.  The  Commission  will  support  also  the  work  of  the  ILO  to  develop  a 
measurement framework to monitor the progresses towards a more decent world of work. 

The EU supports the reform of the World Trade Organization (WTO) to further contribute 
to  sustainable  development  and  integrate  the  social  dimension  of  globalisation,  and  to 
promote deliberation in the WTO on how trade can support decent work and social fairness. 
The  EU  will  advocate  in  the  WTO  for  analysis  and  exchanges  of  experience,  including 
through more active cooperation with the ILO on: the contribution of trade policies to social 
development;  how  stronger  protection  of  workers’  rights  benefits  growth  and  development; 
and how the benefits of trade liberalisation reach all workers and disadvantaged communities.  

The  Commission  will  also  actively  support  further  dialogue  between  the  international 
financial institutions, the ILO, the UN and the WTO on the complementarity and consistency 
of  their  policies  and  the  interdependence  of  economic  growth,  investment,  trade  and  decent 
work. 

In its work with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), 
the EU supports the promotion and implementation of international standards on responsible 
business conduct to facilitate business’ contribution to decent work. The EU finances OECD-
led  programmes,  including  on  fostering  due  diligence  for  responsible  business  conduct  in 
global supply chains76, and will continue to promote the coverage of decent work in OECD 
activities on responsible business conduct and by the OECD Development Centre77. 

Promoting decent work in global supply chains, including eradicating child labour and forced 
labour, has been a key element of the work of the G7 and the G20, with active EU support. In 
engaging with  G7 and G20 partners,  the EU will aim to  ensure that decent  work and social 
protection play a significant role in the G7’s and G20’s discussions, including implementing 
social aspects into the ‘building back better’ strategies of both fora. For example in the 2021 
G20 Rome Leaders’ Declaration, G20 have committed, in reaction to the pandemic, to adopt 
human-centred  policy  approaches  to  promote  social  dialogue  and  to  ensure  greater  social 
justice; safe and healthy working conditions; and decent work for all, including within global 
supply chains78. 

The Commission will also engage with the World Bank to include decent work and a human-
centred  approach  as  a  cross-cutting  requirement  in  the  World  Bank’s  work  with  third 
countries and the Commission will encourage Member States to raise the issue of decent work 
when the International Monetary Fund provides financial support to third countries. 

The EU  works jointly  with the Council of Europe  on  guaranteeing  fundamental  social  and 
economic rights in line with international obligations. 

75 https://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/ST-12765-2019-INIT/en/pdf 
76 http://mneguidelines.oecd.org/promoting-responsible-business-conduct-in-latin-america-and-the-caribbean.htm 
77 The EU takes part in the work of the Governing Body of the OECD Development Centre. 
78 https://www.g20.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/G20-ROME-LEADERS-DECLARATION.pdf. 

20 

 
 
 
                                                           
Key tools: 

-  Supporting  the  implementation  of  decent  work-related  United  Nations  instruments 
and  advocating  for  the  topic  of  decent  work  in  UN  fora,  particularly  when 
implementing the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. 

-  Partnering  with  the  ILO  on  EU  priorities,  and  notably  contributing  to  processes  of 
their 

their  application  and  promoting 

labour  standards,  supervising 

setting 
implementation. 

-  Supporting the reform of the WTO to further contribute to sustainable development, 
integrate the social dimension of globalisation, and promote deliberation in the WTO 
on how trade can support decent work and social fairness. 

-  Promoting decent work in global supply chains in the declarations of the G7 and the 
G20,  working  with  the  OECD  on  promoting  and  implementing  international 
standards on responsible business conduct, and including decent work in cooperation 
with the International Financial Institutions. 

-  Working jointly with the Council of Europe on guaranteeing fundamental social and 

economic rights in line with international obligations. 

3.4. Engagement with stakeholders and in global partnerships  

The  EU  promotes  tripartite  and  bipartite  European  social  dialogue  at  cross-industry  and 
sectoral  level,  including  through  its  support  for  43  EU  Sectoral  Social  Dialogue 
Committees. Social partners have regularly put the promotion of decent work worldwide on 
the agenda of Sectoral Social Dialogue Committees, for example decent work in fisheries or 
textiles. The Commission will offer support to social partners in EU Sectoral Social Dialogue 
Committees,  at  their  request,  to  launch  activities  on  responsible  supply  chains,  including 
respect for labour rights, such as EU-wide sectoral dialogues to exchange good practices and 
enable peer-to-peer learning. This will also support workers and employers along the supply 
chain in exercising their right to organise and to freedom of association. 

The EU also promotes civil society dialogue in its external relations and joins forces in global 
partnerships.  Interaction  with  civil  society  organisations  is  a  key  enabling  factor  for 
promoting decent work through engagement with stakeholders, including in the framework of 
trade  agreement  negotiations  and  implementation,  in  preparation  of  human  rights  dialogues 
and  on  questions  of  development  cooperation.  The  EU  will  continue  to  strengthen 
engagement  with  civil  society  actors  and  promote  safe  and  enabling  environments  for  civil 
society and labour rights defenders’ advocacy work on decent job creation.  

The  EU  and  its  Member  States  contribute  to  and  support  global  partnerships  and  multi-
stakeholder initiatives that are relevant for promoting decent work worldwide in areas such 
as  just  transition,  occupational  safety  and  health,  social  protection  and  social  dialogue, 
including  through  the  Global  Deal  initiative79.  Considering  the  EU  zero-tolerance  policy  on 

79 Just Energy Transition Partnership with South Africa, https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/IP_21_5768; 
https://www.ilo.org/global/topics/safety-and-health-at-work/programmes-projects/WCMS_740967/lang--en/index.htm; 

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child labour, the Commission will take the necessary steps to become a partner of the Alliance 
8.7 for the elimination of child labour, forced labour and human trafficking. The Commission 
intends to explore together with the ILO how to scale up joint and respective efforts to ensure 
effectiveness of interventions in Alliance 8.780. 

Key tools: 

-  Offering  support  to  social  partners  in  EU  Sectoral  Social  Dialogue  Committees  to 

launch activities on respecting labour rights in supply chains. 

-  Continuing  to  strengthen  engagement  with  civil  society  actors  and  promote  safe  and 

enabling environment for civil society. 

-  Supporting  global  partnerships  in  different  areas  of  decent  work,  including  by 

becoming a partner of the Alliance 8.7. 

4.  CONCLUSIONS 

The  EU  is  committed  to  further  strengthening  its  role  as  responsible  leader  in  the  world  of 
work,  to  stand  up  for  workers’  rights  and  to  prevent  a  race  to  the  bottom,  by  using  all  the 
instruments at hand and developing them further. The promotion of decent work worldwide, 
including  the  elimination  of  child  labour  and  forced  labour,  is  a  core  element  of  this 
endeavour. 

The  promotion  of  decent  work  worldwide  is  key  for  the  EU  as  a  geopolitical  player  that 
strongly  supports  individual  rights  and  freedoms,  even  more  so  in  a  rapidly  transforming 
world of work and in a context of shifting global relations. It is in line with the EU’s strong 
support for multilateralism and a rules-based global order of international labour standards. 

The EU takes a leading role in ensuring that the  green and digital transition of the economy 
goes  hand  in  hand  with  socially  just  global  transition.  The  EU  will  engage  with  its 
international  partners  to  achieve  a  human-centred,  sustainable,  fair  and  inclusive  recovery 
from the COVID-19 crisis. 

The Commission invites the European Parliament and the Council to endorse the approach set 
out in this Communication and to work together to implement its actions. 

The  Commission  intends  to  regularly  report  on  the  state  of  implementation  of  this 
Communication, including the EU’s commitments under the above key policy areas. 

http://visionzero.global/vision-zero-summit-sees-launch-global-osh-coalition; 
https://www.usp2030.org/gimi/USP2030.action; https://www.theglobaldeal.com/. 
80 See conclusions of 15th EC-ILO High-Level Meeting, https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---europe/---ro-geneva/--
-ilo-brussels/documents/meetingdocument/wcms_757939.pdf. 

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