European Union

Statement

International Labour Conference

113^th session 

Geneva, 2-13 June 2025

________

Committee on Application of Standards

General Report

Chair,

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

The candidate countries North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania*, Ukraine, Republic of Moldova, the EFTA countries Iceland and Norway members of the European Economic Area and Switzerland align themselves with this statement.

1. We would like to welcome and extend our best wishes to the new Chair of the Committee, the Vice-Chairs and the Rapporteur.

2. We welcome the discussion at the Committee on the Application of Standards, a crucial pillar of the ILO supervisory system. We strongly believe in the fundamental importance of international labour standards, their ratification, and the effective and authoritative supervision of their implementation.

3. We highly appreciate the analysis and expertise of the Committee of Experts shown in its annual report, which provides a solid basis for the work of our Committee and a guidance to all Member States to implement international labour standards. We recall our strong commitment to the independence, objectivity and impartiality of the Committee of Experts.

4. We appreciated the third information session the Committee of Experts held with Governments and look forward to a new meeting in 2025.

5. We regret the decline observed in the rate of submission of reports by Members States and encourage all countries to comply with reporting obligations in order to enable the sound functioning of the supervisory system. We hope that the ongoing efforts to streamline the reporting system will ease the reporting burden on Governments.

6. We are pleased that the Committee of Experts continues to deepen its cooperation with the United Nations Human Rights Treaty Bodies. This collaboration is crucial to enhance the effective fulfilment of human rights, including labour rights. We encourage further exchanges as they provide scope for inspiration, cooperation and synergies, while respecting the autonomous mandates of all bodies.

7. We very much welcome the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights joining the Global Coalition for Social Justice. The EU and its Member States have consistently supported the Global Coalition for Social Justice and its ambition to advance social justice and decent work for all.

8. We note with regret that the situation we are in puts us off track to reach 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and particularly SDG No. 8, on decent work and economic growth. In this regard, international labour standards provide a solid basis to build social and economic stability, as well as inclusive societies all over the world, in particular in times of multiple crises. We aim at new impetus of the Second World Social Summit to foster social inclusion and social justice, social dialogue on advancing universal social protection, decent jobs and green and digital skills. We reaffirm our full support to the tripartite key messages adopted by the GB and to the resolution that we have on the agenda of the ILC for adoption this week.

9. Regarding developments on maritime matters, we appreciate the amendments and resolutions agreed upon at the recent Fifth meeting of the Special Tripartite Committee of the MLC. They are important steps in ensuring that the Convention remains a living, relevant instrument.

10. We are very concerned by the findings of the Committee regarding the increased level of violence in the world of work, particularly faced by women and indigenous peoples and other vulnerable groups.

11. We would like to share some latest legislative and policy action, through which we aim to contribute to further advance decent work. We work towards the ratification by all European Union Member States of the two new fundamental ILO conventions on a safe and healthy working environment. Regarding decent work in the platform economy, we look forward to the standard-setting discussion on this topic during the ILC while implementing our EU Platform Work Directive. In the context of decent work in supply chains, we are working on the implementation of the Corporate Sustainability and Due Diligence Directive and Forced Labour Regulation that came into force at the end of 2024.

12. We are committed to supporting partner countries through technical assistance projects to enhance the effective application and implementation of labour standards, in particular fundamental ILO conventions. We promote decent work through the EU’s bilateral and regional trade and investment agreements and unilateral preferential trade schemes. We also deeply value the technical assistance provided by the Office, particularly to help countries addressing the gaps highlighted in the conclusions of the CAS.

13. The EU and its Member States reiterate their full support to the well-functioning and authoritative supervisory system of the ILO, which is built on tripartism and social dialogue. This unique and robust system provides a valuable example of a multilateral rules-based order.

14. We are looking forward to a constructive engagement with tripartite constituents during the debate in this Committee.

Thank you, Chair.

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