ILO Governing Body, 356th session - EU statement - Possible initiatives that complement the body of international labour standards to ensure decent work in supply chains

European Union

Statement

ILO Governing Body, 356^th session 

23 March – 2 April 2026

________

Possible initiatives that complement the body of international labour standards to ensure decent work in supply chains

GB.356/POL/1

________

Geneva, 25 March 2026

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ILO Governing Body, 356^th session 

23 March – 2 April 2026

Possible initiatives that complement the body of international labour standards to ensure decent work in supply chains

GB.356/POL/1

EU statement

Chair, 

I’m speaking on behalf of the EU and its member states

The candidate countries North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania, Ukraine, Republic of Moldova and Georgia as well as the EFTA country Norway, member of the European Economic Area, align themselves with this statement.

The European Union and its Member States welcome ILO’s proposed options to address decent work deficits in global supply chains. We also thank the Office for the inclusive process of consultations. We strongly support the ILO’s strategic approach to promoting decent work through a combination of normative and non-normative measures, recognizing that supply chains are both engines of economic growth and critical areas where systemic labour rights violations persist. 

We underscore the centrality of human rights and due diligence as a transformative tool to prevent, mitigate, and remedy adverse impacts on workers in supply chains. The adoption of the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive in 2024, reflects our commitment to embedding due diligence obligations into corporate governance, ensuring that businesses identify, prevent, and address human rights and environmental risks and impacts across their value chains. This legislative framework aligns with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises and the ILO MNE Declaration, reinforcing the expectation that companies must act with transparency and accountability.

However, the effectiveness of due diligence and the reduction of decent work deficits in supply chains depend on the implementation of clear, harmonized, and proportionate rules and guidance that avoid fragmentation and ensure a level playing field for all businesses, regardless of their size or geographic location.

The EU and its Member States believe that if existing international labour standards were appropriately ratified and implemented, decent work deficits in supply chains would – in principle – be significantly reduced. The EU and its Member States continue to be open to the possibility to schedule a standard-setting discussion on “decent work in global supply chains”, based on due diligence. Such a standard could harmonize expectations for businesses, governments, and workers, ensuring adherence to the same standards of labor rights protection. It could also promote policy coherence between trade, investment, and labour policies, ensuring that economic growth does not come at the expense of workers’ rights.

Due diligence is most effective when it is proportionate, risk-based, and accompanied by coordinated accompanying measures to create an enabling environment. An ILO standard could build on these principles, while also addressing the transnational dimensions of supply chains where gaps in governance, conflicting jurisdictions, and weak enforcement undermine decent work and are not covered by existing instruments.

The EU and its Member States also support non-binding options in the Office document, including to further consolidate and scale up the ILO’s business networks to promote decent work in supply chains, by providing tools, data collections and information for all constituents. The guidance of the ILO’s conclusions on living wages should be further leveraged to stimulate due diligence, create a level playing field and create clarification on other related concepts such as on living income. 

Finally, we emphasize that any normative action must be grounded in tripartite engagement. Social dialogue—both at the national and transnational levels— and technical assistance of the ILO are essential to tailor due diligence requirements to diverse contexts. 

We stand ready to contribute to this process. 

Thank you Chair, 

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