ILO Governing Body, 353rd session
10 – 20 March 2025
Follow-up to the report of the Commission of Inquiry established in accordance with article 26 of the ILO Constitution concerning the non-observance by Myanmar of Conventions Nos 87 and 29, and to the resolutions concerning Myanmar adopted by the International Labour Conference at its 102nd (2013) and 109th (2021) Sessions
GB.353/INS/12
EU statement

Chair,
I speak on behalf of the European Union and its Member States.
The candidate countries North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania*, Ukraine, Republic of Moldova, Georgia, the EFTA countries, Norway member of the European Economic Area and Switzerland align themselves with this statement.

1. We thank the ILO for the latest overview of developments in Myanmar and for its operations focusing on child and forced labour and labour migration.
2. The gravity and pervasiveness of the human rights and humanitarian crisis created by the military’s actions in Myanmar since the military coup of 2021 is appalling.
3. The Commission of Inquiry has documented very serious incidents and violence against trade union leaders and members committed by the military. We condemn these acts in the strongest possible terms as well as the continuing widespread labour rights abuses and oppression of trade unions and call for the rapid release of the MICS Secretary General Thet Hnin Aung. We are also concerned about the reported establishment of a military-backed trade union confederation that carries the same name in Burmese as the CTUM.
4. We are gravely concerned by the continuing systematic and widespread forced labour imposed by the military on the people of Myanmar, including children, to perform a range of military-related activities. We also deplore the exaction of forced labour from members of the Rohingya minority in Rakhine State, and of other ethnic or religious minorities.
5. The Commission of Inquiry issued a clear set of urgent recommendations to be implemented no later than 1 October 2023. We concur with the assessment of the ILO Office that the Myanmar military has not demonstrated a meaningful understanding of the gravity of the situation and the need for specific and urgent action. Additionally, beyond general information, we have not received any specific indication of concrete actions taken to implement the eleven recommendations for urgent action by the military.
6. We gather today to consider the draft resolution under Article 33. Last time we expressed our preference for the measures in the resolution to be effective and targeted at those responsible for the violations and press for the full respect of labour rights as fast as possible. We also acknowledged the importance of sustainable livelihoods under decent working conditions. We stressed the need to avoid measures which could adversely affect the people of Myanmar, especially the most vulnerable. We also call upon the ILO to continue closely monitoring the situation.
7. We would like to thank the Office for having prepared a balanced draft resolution that keeps in mind these objectives. We therefore support the draft resolution to be passed for consideration by the International Labour Conference.
8. We reiterate our call for a full implementation without further delay of all eleven recommendations for urgent action formulated by the Commission of Inquiry.
9. We support the decision point.  

Thank you, Chair.


*North Macedonia, Montenegro and Albania continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.