Brussels, 30/04/2015 (Agence Europe) - In a resolution adopted on Wednesday 29 April, on the second anniversary of the Rana Plaza textile factory collapse, which led to 1,130 people losing their lives in the Bangladeshi capital of Dacca, the European Parliament has welcomed the progress made in the common initiative carried out in the summer of 2013 by the EU, US and ILO, in collaboration with the Bangladeshi authorities on the “sustainability pact” to improve work standards and conditions, as well as workplace safety in the country. Nonetheless, the European Parliament said that it still wanted more progress.
MEPs say that the Bangladeshi authorities still have a lot to do to tackle anti-union discrimination and the suspected endemic corruption among health and safety inspectors and clothing factory owners. Parliament is also urging all private companies involved to donate to a special fund created to compensate the victims and their families. This fund is still short of the $3 million of the $30 million needed. MEPs also deplore the fact that all the different brands linked to Rana Plaza have not assumed their responsibility and have made insufficient donations, including Mango, Matalan and Inditex (which have refused to divulge how much they have donated), as well as other companies such as Wal-Mart and The Children's Place (which have only contributed the minimum amounts).
On 24 April, the European Commission published its most recent progress report on the “sustainability pact”, which welcomed the realistic progress achieved but it is urging the Bangladeshi government to pursue and speed up its short, medium and long-term reforms (see EUROPE 11302). (Emmanuel Hagry)