Brussels, 28/11/2007 (Agence Europe) - Ahead of the EU/India Summit in New Delhi, India, on 30 November 2007 (see EUROPE 9551), the General Secretaries of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), Guy Ryder, and the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), John Monks, have sent an open letter to EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner.
In the letter, the trade unions explain that the Summit should be used as an opportunity to remind the Indian government of its international obligations to Burma/Myanmar under the resolutions adopted by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the United Nations on the respect of workers' rights and other human rights, rather than simply increasing aid and economic involvement in the country. On the inclusion of labour and social security issues in the negotiations between the EU and India, the trade unions call for both the EU and India to confirm that social issues will form an integral part of all EU-India trade agreements. The trade unions urge the Indian government to stop backing legal sanctions at national and international level against international organisations trying to bring serious violations of human rights into the public domain.
A copy of the letter was also sent to EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson, EU Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs, EU Development Commissioner Louis Michel and EU Employment Commissioner Vladimir Spidla. (G.B.)