ILO Governing Body - INS/2: EU Statement on the Agenda of future sessions of the International Labour Conference
I speak on behalf of the European Union and its Member States.
The Candidate Countries Montenegro* and Serbia* and the EFTA country Norway, member of the European Economic Area, align themselves with this statement.
We align with the IMEC statement.
The EU and its Member States continue to strongly support the strategic and coherent approach adopted by the Office in the setting of the Conference Agenda. Institutional coherence and adequate time for preparation balanced with flexibility and full tripartite engagement are all key to ensuring topical discussions and effective tripartite results, which are also relevant and visible within the multilateral system. The Global Call to Action, adopted by the Conference earlier this year, is a positive and robust example which reinforces the effectiveness of such an approach.
We would first like to congratulate the Office on the successful delivery of Part I of the first ever virtual International Labour Conference in June, despite the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent limitations for physical meetings. However, the virtual medium brings its own challenges and we are looking forward to a return to physical meetings which we believe will lead to a more robust engagement in advancing items of importance. This is especially desirable given the ambitious standard setting agenda set forth by the office in this document. Regarding the topics of decent work and the care economy and harnessing the fullest potential of technology outlined in the paper, we would suggest that both be retained for discussion on the ILC agenda also at the next GB.
The EU and its Member States have long supported the elevation of safe and healthy working conditions to a fundamental principle and right at work. The COVID-19 pandemic has exemplified the need for such a recognition. Consequently, we support its inclusion in the agenda of the 110th ILC Session (2022).
The EU and its Member States continue to underline the importance of integrating the follow-up of the Standards Review Mechanism into ILO activities, including when setting the ILC agenda , as a matter of institutional priority. We appreciate that the agenda item on biological hazards has been integrated into the standard-setting calendar for 2024-2025. We also thank the Office for preparing proposals for three standard-setting items on OSH, all of which have been guided by the SRM TWG's recommendation on the thematic integration approach.
As regards the modalities for the standard-setting discussions, we would underscore that these should be flexible, innovative, time and cost-efficient. We would be open to explore the second option, as proposed by the Office under paragraph 37, subject to further clarifications regarding the preparatory conferences and its cost implications. They could be designed similar to tripartite technical meetings, where the Office bears the participation costs of social-partners and interested Governments can attend at their own expense. Convening three separate preparatory conferences in 2023, 2024 and 2025, followed by a single discussion at the Conference in 2026, 2027 and 2028, would recognise the technical complexity of the items under discussion.
The EU and its Member States remain open to further discussion on the refinement of such modalities, including the consideration of different combinations regarding the timing of preparatory conferences and the single discussions concerning the three standard-setting items on OSH.
The EU and its Member States have already expressed a keen interest in a just transition of the world of work especially one which, as indicated in the Office paper, leads to environmentally sustainable economies and societies for all. This topic is already strongly anchored in the European Green Deal and the EU Porto Declaration as well as in the ILO Centenary Declaration and the 2021 ILC Global Call to Action. Therefore, we believe inclusive and constructive discussion on this subject will provide a positive impetus towards achieving a just transition for all.
Against the backdrop of the current global situation, including the ongoing discussions across the UN system, we believe the ILO should place itself at the heart of any deliberations on Just Transition. We would appreciate more detail from the Office as to what a possible standard would look like in this respect, and its added value.
We therefore ask the Office to defer further discussion on points (a), (b) and (c) of the decision point until next week to allow for additional time in which it may provide more robust and detailed information (including any informal briefings) on the framework, scope and content of a possible instrument on Just Transition. We can support points (d), (e) and (f) of the decision point, as originally drafted.
In line with what we have stated, we cannot support the amendment by the Employers Group.
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*Montenegro and Serbia continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.