Brussels, 09/06/2011 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 8 June, in Strasbourg, the European Parliament adopted the resolution drafted by Richard Falbr (S&D, Czech Republic) on the external dimension of social policy, promoting labour and social standards and European corporate social responsibility. MEPs propose a new social alliance should be formed, support the creation of instruments for sustainable dialogue with partner countries, and call for the creation of social attachés in the new European External Action Service.
On the subject of international cooperation, MEPs: - (1) suggest building a new social alliance stressing the importance of social issues and focusing on implementation and enforcement of pragmatic and sustainable solutions, and underlining the importance of raising awareness of social partners regarding their rights and obligations; (2) advocate that the Union refrain from trade agreements with countries with production facilities in export processing zones, while considering as exceptionally alarming the growing number of temping agency workers and their exploitation in the industrial zones in some member states; and (3) support the creation of tools for a sustainable dialogue with partner countries, based on mutual respect; while seeking the development of partner countries' own resources.
MEPs ask the Commission and member states to: - cooperate with the partner countries in the aim of making equality between women and men a reality in and outside the Union; - and strive for the eradication of discrimination against people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups in and outside the Union. Finally, they call for the creation of social attachés in the new External Action Service to increase its efficiency in the area of social policy and, in particular, to ensure that decent work for all is implemented as a central policy objective.
Regarding workers' rights and working conditions, the EP invites all member states to respect and promote the core labour standards of the International Labour Office (ILO), and calls for respect of workers' rights as an indispensable precondition for fair and mutually beneficial trade agreements.
Finally, concerning global economic governance, they call on the Commission and member states to integrate employment and social policies as a priority in all negotiations regarding global economic governance structures and macro-economic dialogues. (G.B./transl.jl)