In an effort to know about the latest reforms Bangladesh has brought into the labour laws and oversee the progress of labour rights scenario in line with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions, a European Commission (EC) delegation led by its Trade Director Ewa Synowiec would meet senior Government officials on 16 October to assess the existing labour rights scenario in the country.
“The EC wants to see the full implementation of ILO Convention 87 concerning freedom of association and protection of the right to organise and Convention 98 regarding right to organise and to bargain collectively,” stated Additional Commerce Secretary Tapan Kanti Ghosh on the upcoming meeting between EC delegation and concerned Government officials while speaking to the media.
It may be mentioned here that EU is an export stronghold for Made in Bangladesh apparel items, where it enjoys Generalised System of Preference (GSP) benefits under the ‘Everything but Arms’ regime.
Earlier, the EC in a letter informed Bangladesh that one of the objectives of the mission would be to discuss the latest labour law reforms and collect the necessary information to be able to report on developments and progress made on the remaining issues in the forthcoming biennial GSP report for the European Parliament.
Keeping the same in perspective, the visit of the EU delegation is seen as a move to collect relevant information on labour rights situation targeting a follow-up of ‘Everything but Arms’ trade regime.