Brussels, 13/09/2001 (Agence Europe) - The Confederation of Free Trade Unions, the Co-ordination of Central Trade Unions of Cono and the Council of Workers of Cono Sur, have adopted a joint declaration in which they announce joint initiatives to ensure that workers' rights are taken into account in ongoing negotiations for an association and free trade agreement between the EU and Mercosur. "Ongoing negotiations must lead to an exemplary Association treaty, not only regarding trade relations and economic cooperation, but also regarding the social dimension", declared ETUC General Secretary Emilio Gabaglio, on the occasion of a meeting of the three trade unions in Montevideo in Uruguay.
The primary aim of the EU/Mercosur agreement must be the "promotion of worthy employment, the respect and improvement of working standards, as well as a better distribution of income in the countries of Cono Sur", say the trade unionists. To ensure this, the organisations agreed to set up direct and permanent contacts, notably to analyse the "impact of the agreement on employment, social and working rights in the two regions".
They "want the possibility to submit their proposals to the negotiators and the existing consultation structures of civil society". The organisations intend asking the negotiators to include in the future agreement "a specific chapter on the defence and respect of working rights, on the basis of ILO conventions and existing instruments within the two regions, on the basis of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and the Mercasur Declaration on Social Rights".
The trade unions also intend preparing a monitoring mechanism "for the conduct and policy of multinationals present in the two regions so as to combat anti-trade union policies by multinationals and strengthen joint union action".