European Union

Statement 

International Labour Conference
113^th session

Geneva, 2 - 13 June 2025

________

General Discussion Committee on Promoting Transitions towards Formality

Closing Statement - Plenary

________

Geneva, 12 June 2025

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International Labour Conference

113^th session

Geneva, 2 - 13 June 2024

General Discussion Committee on Promoting Transitions towards Formality

EU Closing Statement – Plenary 

Chair,

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

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

1. We would like to highlight and express our strong appreciation for the excellent steering work of the Committee Chair, Mr Franck Dogoh, Director General for Employment at the Ministry of Employment and Social Protection of Côte d’Ivoire. His diplomacy, patience, and time management were instrumental in the successful conclusion of the Committee on Promoting Transitions towards Formality.

2. Informality concerns 58% of the global workforce and 80% enterprises. For most people, informality is not a choice but a result of limited opportunities in the formal economy, low incomes, and the absence of alternative livelihoods. It concerns us all. It presents a major challenge to the realisation of workers’ rights, including social protection, and working conditions. It hinders productivity, undermines sustainable enterprises, public revenues and governments’ scope of action. It is a complex, structural, and evolving challenge that affects all regions.

3. In the EU, informality is below the global average but persists in forms such as undeclared work, under-declared wages, revenue concealment, bogus self-employment, and certain non-standard forms of work. These practices create gaps in labour and social protection and undermine the rule of law, public finances, fair competition, and institutional capacity.

4. We remain fully committed to ILO Recommendation No. 204, which is a global reference for addressing informality through rights-based, inclusive, and sustainable approaches rooted in social dialogue. We call for stronger multilateral cooperation, with the ILO in a coordinating role, aligned with the Global Coalition for Social Justice and initiatives like the UN Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection. Partnerships with international financial institutions and development banks are crucial, and formalisation should feature prominently in the post-2030 development agenda.

5. We have reached consensus on balanced Conclusions that will support the ILO Office in preparing a roadmap to guide our efforts towards effective action to address informality in the years ahead.

6. Equally important is the process we have gone through. We would like to thank both our social partners – employers and workers – and our fellow government colleagues for their constructive engagement. Our special thanks go to the Vice-Chairs, Mr Farooq Ahmed and Mr Anthony Baah. Our exchanges have helped enrich mutual understanding.

7. We also express our warmest gratitude to the Office for its efficient support and guidance, and to the interpreters and translators for greatly facilitating our work.

8. We look forward to continuing our joint efforts with all tripartite constituents in effectively following up on the Conclusions.

Thank you, Chair.

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