An EU trade policy for Decent Work

An EU Trade Policy for Decent Work

The European Union's trade policy needs serious changes to deliver on decent work and development, and to restore the faith of working people badly shaken by an economic crisis they did nothing to cause. The TUC's submission to the European Commission's consultation on a future trade policy outlines key areas of reform, including the need for:

A green, job rich, and high value industrial policy that stimulates exports and domestic growth and empowers the marginalised and the poorest in Europe;

A 'progressive enabling environment' for progressive liberalisation, including strong systems of social protection, respect for labour standards, and job training and support for workers;

Keeping public services such as health and education out of trade negotiations, allowing governments to regulate in the public interest, and ensuring that global finance is reigned in, not carelessly liberalised under trade deals;

In the midst of a global crisis of employment, jobs to be at the centre of the Doha Round at the WTO; and more policy space to lift up some of the poorest countries;

A rebalanced world economy where the improved purchasing power of workers - both North and South - underpins strong domestic growth;

Investment provisions that ensure that investors also have obligations, not just rights, and are answerable to host states, not shadowy international arbitration panels run by investment lawyers;

A transparent, democratic and inclusive trade policy, with a central role for the European Parliament and social partners and better assessments of the impact of trade deals;

Better funded European Structural Funds where workers have a say over how they are run.

Better rewarding countries genuinely interested in the well-being of their workforce through improved technical assistance and trade preferences, and tougher trade action against serial labour rights abusers; and, speaking of which,

Tearing up the draft trade deal with Colombia - a 'get out of jail free' card for the world's worst abuser of labour rights.

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