91997E2661

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'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'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 "will continue their existing cooperation¨.