European Union

Statement

International Labour Conference

113^th session 

Geneva, 2-13 June 2025

________

Committee on Application of Standards

Belarus

Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87) and Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98)

Geneva, 7 June 2025

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CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY

International Labour Conference

113th session 

Geneva, 2-13 June 2025

Committee on Application of Standards

Belarus

Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87) and Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98)

Chair,

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

1. We deeply regret the continued violations and the persistent failure of the authorities of Belarus to comply with their obligations under ILO Conventions Nos. 87 and 98. Although two years have passed since the adoption of the Article 33 Resolution, the authorities of Belarus have shown persistent disregard of the guidance, conclusions and recommendations of the 2004 Commission of Inquiry, the supervisory bodies and the Governing Body, and have refused to accept and implement them. Once again, we call on Belarus to take all the necessary measures to meet the obligations it committed itself to as a member of the ILO and by voluntarily and willingly ratifying ILO fundamental Conventions. 

2. We remain deeply concerned by the gross and deteriorating human rights situation in Belarus, including grave violations of labour rights, especially of freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining. We strongly condemn the continuing persecution and intimidation campaigns against independent trade unionists, civil society organisations, democratic opposition forces, and all other segments of Belarusian society. We equally strongly condemn new forms of repression against them, such as trials in absentia, expropriation, intimidation of whole families or children being removed from their families. The situation has further worsened since the Belarusian regimes involvement in Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.

3. We strongly urge Belarus to receive as a matter of urgency an ILO tripartite mission to gather information on the implementation of the recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry and subsequent recommendations of ILO supervisory bodies. This mission must be enabled to visit the independent trade union leaders and activists in prison and detention. 

4. Given the gravity of the situation, the EU has imposed several rounds of sanctions, the latest on 27 March 2025, in the face of unprecedented level of human rights violations and in the context of the election of January 2025. 

5. The EU and its Member States deplore the dissolution of independent trade unions, which undermines the legitimacy of social dialogue institutions. We repeat our call on the authorities of Belarus to abandon their policy of destroying the Belarusian independent trade union movement. We echo the CFA request to the authorities to take steps to review the situation of the dissolved trade unions so as to ensure that they may again function.

6. We deplore that political prisoners remain incarcerated in appalling conditions and express grave concern  over the cases of deaths in detention. We urge the authorities to stop the repression and to respect and protect human rights and call for the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners and their full and effective rehabilitation, including trade unionists prosecuted for exercising peaceful and legitimate trade union activity. We are deeply concerned about a system of restrictions on the rights of those who have served their sentence, including limited freedom of movement, constant monitoring and frozen bank accounts. 

7. We deplore the climate of state violence, intimidation and fear in Belarus, and the erosion of the rule of law exemplified by the complete lack of impartiality and independence of the judiciary system. We note with concern the observations of a group of independent human rights experts of 22 January 2025 about the growing practice in Belarus of conducting trials in absentia and without basic trial guarantees leading to lengthy prison sentences, deprivation of property and housing or even the death penalty. We echo the CFA call to implement the recommendation No. 8 of the Commission of Inquiry in that regard.

8. Considering the repeated grave allegations concerning the nomination of the Workers’ delegation of Belarus to the ILC, we note with concern the CFA conclusions concerning strong dependence of FPB upon the Belarusian authorities and increasing state control and interference in the activity of this organisation. We closely monitor the Credential Committee’s findings and we urge the authorities of Belarus to nominate non-Government delegates and advisers to the ILC in agreement with the most representative, genuine and independent workers’ and employers’ organizations.

9. We thank the Office for engaging with other UN human rights bodies to create a working group that coordinates action towards the implementation of the recommendations of the 2004 Commission of Inquiry and other supervisory bodies.  We hope that the ILO Special Envoy will be appointed soon, and we encourage further coordinated efforts towards the full implementation of the ILC Resolution. We also urge Belarus to engage with an ILO Special Envoy, once established.  

10.  It has been more than 20 years since the Commission of Inquiry published its report and recommendations. Regrettably, they have not been implemented to date. In the last 5 years, the authorities have ceased meaningful cooperation with the ILO and have consistently reiterated the information already provided. We urge the authorities of Belarus to take concrete measures to give full effect to all Commission of Inquiry recommendations and the subsequent requests of ILO supervisory bodies including to amend without further delay decree no 3 on receiving and using foreign gratuitous aid, the Law on Mass Activities, the Criminal Code and the Labour Code to bring them into compliance with the international obligations regarding freedom of association. 

11. We reaffirm our strong support to the application of Article 33 of the ILO Constitution and will take measures in line with the ILC 2023 resolution as needed.

12. The EU and its Member States are committed to working with the ILO and its constituents to secure compliance by the authorities of Belarus with the Commission of Inquiry's recommendations.

Thank you, Chair.