About: labour standards

French, Dutch join forces to urge EU to show teeth on trade

France and the Netherlands have joined forces to urge the European Union to enforce environmental and labour standards more forcefully with countries the bloc signs trade deals with, according to a document seen by Reuters.

Commission proposes reinstating Sri Lankan trade concession

The European Union's executive on Wednesday (11 January) proposed that the bloc reinstates a trade concession to Sri Lanka as an incentive to the government to promote human rights and good governance.

Fishing industry in murky waters

Today 85% of global fish stocks are over-exploited, depleted or fully exploited, to the extent that without urgent measures, we may be the last generation to catch food from the oceans, writes Linnéa Engström.

Environmental and social protection to be discussed at next TTIP negotiations

Europe wants the US to commit to high environmental and social standards, as part of the planned TTIP agreement. EURACTIV Germany reports.

German NGOs and businesses attack social labelling plans

Plans to promote sustainably produced clothing announced by German Development Minister Gerd Müller are under attack. Apparel producers and NGOs consider the approach unrealistic, while the Green Party spoke of deliberate deception. EURACTIV Germany reports.

EU plans bid to raise global rag trade working conditions

A year after the Rana Plaza building collapse that killed 1,135 people in Bangladesh, the European Commission is mulling a new initiative to boost labour standards for global companies that supply Europe’s high streets, as a flagship for Europe's Year of Development, which begins in 2015. 

Job market nationalism on the rise as crisis bites

Throughout the EU, the first to be hit by job cuts appear to be foreign workers. In the UK, Prime Minister Gordon Brown called for "British jobs for British workers," but similar outbursts of job market nationalism have emerged as far away as Romania.

Study: New EU members work above European average

According to a recent report, a striking gap in working time continues to exist between countries that joined the EU after 2004 and the other 15 members. Among those working longer hours, Bulgaria, Romania and the UK are well ahead of their European neighbours.

Social NGOs put upcoming presidency to the test

Social NGOs from all over Europe have presented a nine-point catalogue of benchmarks that they will to use to evaluate the German presidency.

EU’s ‘decent work’ agenda endorsed

The Council has approved Commission proposals aimed at reinforcing welfare protection, equal opportunities and social dialogue at home and abroad.

Social partners react grudgingly to labour-law Green Paper

Employers, trade unions and NGOs have criticised the process as well as the content of DG Employment's consultation on labour law, announcing they want to shift the emphasis to issues they consider important.

EU’s trade policy ‘on trial’

A staged court session adjourned on 23 November after a split jury failed either to acquit or to condemn EU trade policy against accusations that it exacerbates poverty in the third world and contributes to the destruction of the environment.

Labour law Green Paper reworked

The final version of the Commission's Green Paper on labour law, to be presented by Commissioner Spidla on 22 November 2006, has a new title and most of its original questions up for consultation have been changed.

“A debate on flexicurity instead of EU harmonisation”

In a letter to Commission President José Manuel Barroso on the draft Green Paper on modernisation of labour law, business association UNICE accused the commission of "an implicit agenda of harmonisation of labour law" throughout the EU. EURACTIV talked to Thérèse de Liedekerke, director for social affairs with UNICE, on the association's criticism of the commission draft. 

UNICE and ETUC clash in labour-law row

In two exclusive interviews with EURACTIV, social-affairs experts from business association UNICE and the European Trade Union Confederation have laid out their organisations' standing in the conflict on the Commission's labour law draft.

Labour law: Green Paper delay raises tempers

In reaction to a critical letter from the European business lobby, the Commission has delayed the publication of a Green Paper on European Labour law until at least November 2006.

UNICE seeks to stop labour-law Green Paper

A Commission draft Green Paper on labour-law reform, which EURACTIV has seen, has met harsh criticism from employers' organisations fearing EU-wide harmonisation of regulations.

UN human rights norms in the making for transnational corporations

A UN expert sub-committee has approved a set of guidelines compiling in a single document key international human rights laws, standards, and best practices.