“It is clear that the current EU model has run into problems in the past and this needs to change,” says Bernd Lange, Chair of the Committee on International Trade of the European Parliament, who was in Singapore between 30 January and 1 February to discuss the ratification of the EU-Singapore Free Trade Agreement.
On the occasion of Mr Lange’s visit, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung met him to get to know the mood in the European Parliament and in Europe regarding the sensitive issue of the implementation of labour standards in trade agreements.
Bernd Lange: I am here to discuss the upcoming ratification process and the way forward of the EU-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the Singaporean government, civil society and other stakeholders. As you know the European Parliament has put a big focus on continuous monitoring of agreements once they have passed our house—especially on aspects concerning labour and environmental rights. Their proper implementation is key to the success of any agreement.
BL: We are still waiting for a clear signal from the European Commission and Member States. I expect that we will receive the agreement in the Parliament this year and will then begin our own deliberation process, for which we will need several months.
BL: The increasing pressure by the Commission shows that Vietnam is finally starting to take labour rights more seriously. I fully agree, and have made this point on many occasions when engaging with Vietnamese counterparts, that the ball is in Vietnam's court. It is in their own hands whether they take the agreement seriously and reflect this in the upcoming revision of their labour law, or if they want to risk running into serious trouble during the ratification process.
It is clear that the current EU model has run into problems in the past. The Korean experience has shown us that the chapters we have and the way we are using them are not improving the lives of workers. This needs to change. Together with FES in Asia and colleagues from the University of Göttingen, I have therefore put together a model labour chapter, with many progressive elements that would improve the effectiveness and enforceability of our approach. I think a sanctions-based approach is the right way forward. What we ultimately need to do is to find a model that strengthens the implementation of our approach and improves the participation of trade unions and civil society in the process.
BL: Since I presented our model labour chapter in Brussels in the summer of 2017 and the Commission published their discussion paper a couple of weeks later there has only been a deafening silence—from Member States as well as the Commission itself. The debate, which should have started back then, has simply not taken place. This is not a serious way to approach this crucial aspect of trade policy, as many parliamentarians have made clear in a recent debate. I think it is irresponsible of member states not to take a position and enter into the debate.
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For more information about the regional work by FES on trade, labour and social dialogue contact Veronica Nilsson, programme manager at the FES Office for Regional Cooperation in Asia.
Singapore – A model labour chapter to EU trade agreements and preferences commissioned by FES can pave way to stronger implementation of labour…
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