Fuente: © European Parliament
http://www.europarl.eu.int/

EU: Generalised System of Preferences - MEPs stress the importance of ILO rules

/noticias.info/ In adopting a joint resolution on the EU system of Generalised System of Preferences, MEPs note the decision by the Commission to grant preferences under the GSP+ scheme to the countries listed in Commission Decision 2005/924/EC. MEPs call on the Commission to extend the commitment to respecting the ILO and UN rules to the rest of the GSP beneficiary countries, particularly as regards child and forced labour.

Parliament notes that the economic development and integration into the world trade system of GSP+ beneficiary countries is crucial to achieving sustainable development objectives, including stability and good governance.

The House calls on the Commission, in cooperation with the beneficiary countries, to strengthen its commitment to promoting and ensuring effective implementation of the core human and labour rights of UN/ILO conventions in GSP+ beneficiary countries, as well as of the conventions relating to environmental and governance principles. MEPs believe that, as a general rule, granting preferential access to countries which do not respect human rights and international labour conventions tends to weaken the incentive for countries to comply with ILO standards.

Parliament calls on the Commission to strengthen its monitoring of the implementation of ILO conventions in GSP+ beneficiary countries, as well as of the conventions relating to environmental and governance principles, and, in particular, to carry out its obligations under Article 18 of the Regulation, namely to inform the Generalised Preferences Committee of the reported infringements of labour rights and to consult on whether an investigation should be carried out into the existence of serious and systematic violations of the ILO’s core labour rights conventions, particularly as regards child and forced labour.

The House calls on the Commission to inform Parliament at an early stage about any recommendation for a temporary withdrawal of preferences in accordance with Article 16 of the Regulation. Parliament stresses that a Commission decision to apply a temporary withdrawal of preferences in the event of serious violations of principles laid down in the ILO conventions should be based on the findings of the appropriate monitoring institutions, with due regard to the opinion of the European Parliament.

MEP call on the Commission to carry out a mid-term review of the GSP instrument. The House insists that an assessment of the effectiveness of implementation of the GSP+ requirements must be carried out before any renewal of GSP+ preferences is granted on the expiry of the current Regulation in 2008. The House calls on the Commission and the Council to ensure that Parliament’s views on the extension of the GSP+ scheme to specific countries and on any renewal of the current GSP Regulation in 2008 are taken into account. Finally, Parliament asks the Commission to produce a comprehensive annual country-by-country report, not only detailing the situation in the beneficiary countries, but also indicating the actions undertaken by the Commission. notas_de_prensa_archivo