I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union and its Member States.

The Candidate Countries the Republic of North Macedonia¹, Montenegro* and Albania*, and the EFTA countries Iceland, Norway, members of the European Economic Area, as well as Ukraine align themselves with this statement.

Chairperson, Vice-Chairpersons, Distinguished Delegates,

1. Over the past days, months and years we have worked together to prepare the historical moment of including occupational safety and health in  the  ILO’s  framework on  fundamental principles and rights at work.
2. With thanks to these joint efforts, long discussions and readiness to compromise, today, we are ready to submit the Resolution amending the 1998 Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights to Work to the Plenary of the 110th International Labour Conference for adoption.
3. We are submitting a Resolution that introduces a new fundamental right which is clear, understandable by the global public and stands robustly on the bases of two newly fundamental conventions, which outline the basic rights related to occupational safety and health with clarity.
4. Considering that nearly 3 million people die from work-related causes each year and there is a significant loss of production through missed working days, the recognition that safety and health are fundamental to decent work was more than timely in 2019 with the adoption of the Centenary Declaration. Since then, the  COVID-19 pandemic has further underscored  the absolute importance of occupational health and safety for  workers’  wellbeing.  For  the  EU and its Member States, safe and healthy working  environment  represent  an essential building  block of a human-centred response and should be an integral component of any long-term recovery plan.
5. In this regard, we are very satisfied that the  Committee decided to choose two important Convention to become fundamental; the Occupational Safety  and  Health Convention No.  155 and Promotional Framework for Occupational Safety and Health Convention No. 187.  As  the EU and its Member States have indicated, in our view, these two together describe, in a complimentary way, the  basic rights to occupational health and safety, at the national and workplace levels alike.
6. We are also grateful that the terminology chosen in the Resolution is one that is  broadly  recognised internationally, both within the ILO and beyond, and echoes the language used in the soon-to-be fundamental Conventions.
7. As regards the preambular paragraph on shared responsibilities, we are glad that consensual language could be found which distinguishes between the different roles and responsibilities governments, employers and workers have, and notes the importance of social dialogue in guaranteeing and strengthening OSH.
8. Finally, while we don’t consider the saving clause necessary, however in order to assuage outstanding concerns regarding any unintended consequences on trade  agreements,  we  were glad that a solution could be found which we support in a spirit of compromise.
9. These important discussions could only come to such a historical success as they were well- prepared, ably facilitated and met with the constructive attitude of  all  governments  and  both social partners.
10. Chair, on behalf of the EU and its Member States, allow me  to thank you  for  your  leadership these past days. We also want to extend our heartfelt thanks to the two Vice Chairs who have once again  demonstrated that compromise is never out of reach, as well as to our fellow government representatives for their constructive attitudes and readiness to compromise.
11. We also extend our gratitude to the Office that has, over the past years, continuously and relentlessly supported our  discussions  with  in-depth  analysis  and  extensive  clarifications, without which, we would not  have  had  the  basis  for these  important  discussion.  Finally, allow me to also thank the interpreters whose work allows us to fluidly communicate and reach compromises in an international and multilingual setting.
12. Colleagues, together, we have reached a major milestone towards a safer and healthier working environment and dignity at work for all.

Thank you, Chair.

¹ The Republic of North Macedonia, Montenegro and Albania continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process