European Parliament 2014-2019 Committee on International Trade 2016/2140(INI) 30.1.2017 AMDMTS 1-68 Sajjad Karim (PE592.396v02-00) on EU flagship initiative on the garment sector (2016/2140(INI)) AM\1115647.docx PE597.716v01-00 United in diversity
AM_Com_NonLegOpinion PE597.716v01-00 2/36 AM\1115647.docx
1 Alessia Maria Mosca, Sorin Moisă, David Martin, Nicola Danti, Karoline Graswander- Hainz, Maria Arena Recital A A. whereas the global apparel trade is worth an estimated USD 3 trillion and employs up to 75 million people; whereas about three quarters of these workers are female; A. whereas the global trade in readymade garment (RMG) is worth an estimated EUR 2.8 trillion and employs up to 75 million people; whereas about three quarters of these workers are female; whereas gender equality is a driver of development; whereas women rights fall under the human rights spectrum; whereas the complex nature of garment supply chains leads to low level of transparency, increases the risk of human rights violation and exploitation; 2 Eleonora Forenza, Lola Sánchez Caldentey, Stelios Kouloglou Recital A A. whereas the global apparel trade is worth an estimated USD 3 trillion and employs up to 75 million people; whereas about three quarters of these workers are female; A. whereas the global apparel trade is worth an estimated USD 3 trillion and employs up to 75 million people; whereas about three quarters of these workers are female; whereas the wages paid are not enough to allow workers to provide their family with basic human necessities; 3 Eleonora Forenza, Lola Sánchez Caldentey, Stelios Kouloglou AM\1115647.docx 3/36 PE597.716v01-00
Recital A a (new) Aa. whereas, despite the national and international initiatives already in place, women workers' rights are ignored in the garment industry, where women workers perform poorly paid jobs, face severe labour rights violations and do not enjoy their legal entitlements; whereas statutory maternity rights are rarely provided, overtime is compulsory and excessively long working days add to the burden of domestic responsibilities, denying women any rest periods or time with their children; 4 Heidi Hautala on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group Recital A a (new) Aa. whereas the EU is a key player as investor, buyer, retailer and consumer in the garment industry and trade, and is therefore most suited to bundle multiple initiatives worldwide to substantially improve the infrahuman situation of tens of millions of workers in this sector and create a level playing field for all actors; 5 Tokia Saïfi PE597.716v01-00 4/36 AM\1115647.docx
Recital A a (new) Aa. whereas at European level the textile and garment industry occupies 185 000 businesses, which employ 1.7 million people and generate a turnover of EUR 166 billion; Or. fr 6 Alessia Maria Mosca, Sorin Moisă, David Martin, Nicola Danti, Karoline Graswander- Hainz, Maria Arena, Inmaculada Rodríguez-Piñero Fernández Recital A b (new) Ab. whereas the clothing and textile sector in Europe provides for 1.7 million workplaces and generates an output of EUR 166 million; whereas the EU imports about half of the world's total clothing production; whereas the manufacturing countries are mostly emerging economies; 7 Alessia Maria Mosca, Sorin Moisă, David Martin, Nicola Danti, Karoline Graswander- Hainz, Maria Arena, Inmaculada Rodríguez-Piñero Fernández Recital B B. whereas Article 208 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union establishes the principle of policy B. whereas Article 207 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union demands the EU's trade policy to AM\1115647.docx 5/36 PE597.716v01-00
coherence for development; whereas the Trade for All communication bases EU trade policy on three key principles effectiveness, transparency and values and has a dedicated section on responsible management of supply chains; be built on EU's external policies principles and objectives; whereas Article 208 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union establishes the principle of policy coherence for development and set the poverty's eradication as the main objective; whereas the 'Trade for All' communication bases EU's trade policy on three key principles effectiveness, transparency and values and has a dedicated section on responsible management of supply chains; 8 Alessia Maria Mosca, Inmaculada Rodríguez-Piñero Fernández, Karoline Graswander- Hainz, Nicola Danti, Maria Arena, David Martin, Sorin Moisă Recital B a (new) Ba. whereas it is firmly established in Article 8 of the Treaty of the Functioning of the European Union that "In all its activities, the Union shall aim to eliminate inequalities, and to promote equality, between men and women" and, therefore, the EU has a duty to mainstream gender equality in all its policies, guaranteeing that men and women benefit equally from social changes, economic growth and the creation of decent jobs, doing away with discrimination and promoting respect for women's rights in the world; 9 Alessia Maria Mosca, Sorin Moisă, David Martin, Nicola Danti, Karoline Graswander- Hainz, Maria Arena, Inmaculada Rodríguez-Piñero Fernández PE597.716v01-00 6/36 AM\1115647.docx
Recital B b (new) Bb. whereas 289 people perished in a blaze in Karachi, Pakistan, in September 2012; whereas, in the same year, a fire at the Tazreen Fashions factory, in Bangladesh, caused the death of 117 people and injured more than 200 workers; whereas the Rana Plaza's structural failure, in 2013, resulted in 1 129 casualties and caused injuries to approximately 2 500 people; 10 Alessia Maria Mosca, Sorin Moisă, David Martin, Nicola Danti, Karoline Graswander- Hainz, Maria Arena, Inmaculada Rodríguez-Piñero Fernández Recital B c (new) Bc. whereas following these dramatic events European consumers' demand for increased transparency and traceability over the entire supply chain has strongly increased; 11 Alessia Maria Mosca, Sorin Moisă, David Martin, Nicola Danti, Karoline Graswander- Hainz, Maria Arena, Inmaculada Rodríguez-Piñero Fernández Recital B d (new) Bd. whereas, despite the various AM\1115647.docx 7/36 PE597.716v01-00
commitments undertaken by the EU, international organizations, local governments and private operators, labour rights' protection in suppliers countries continue to fall well short of international standards; 12 Alessia Maria Mosca, Sorin Moisă, David Martin, Nicola Danti, Karoline Graswander- Hainz, Maria Arena, Inmaculada Rodríguez-Piñero Fernández Recital B e (new) Be. whereas Export Processing Zones (EPZs) are often exploited in order to circumvent national labour laws and international commitments; 13 Alessia Maria Mosca, Sorin Moisă, David Martin, Nicola Danti, Karoline Graswander- Hainz, Maria Arena, Inmaculada Rodríguez-Piñero Fernández Recital B f (new) Bf. whereas the ILO Decent Work Agenda has, from 2015, become integral part of the new 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development; 14 Alessia Maria Mosca, Sorin Moisă, David Martin, Nicola Danti, Karoline Graswander- PE597.716v01-00 8/36 AM\1115647.docx
Hainz, Maria Arena, Inmaculada Rodríguez-Piñero Fernández Recital B g (new) Bg. whereas many Member States, such as Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark and France, giving the lack of a EU wide initiative, have promoted national programs; 15 Alessia Maria Mosca, Sorin Moisă, David Martin, Nicola Danti, Karoline Graswander- Hainz, Inmaculada Rodríguez-Piñero Fernández, Maria Arena Recital C C. whereas all recently concluded EU free trade agreements include Trade and sustainable development chapters; C. whereas all newly negotiated EU free trade agreements aim to include 'Trade and sustainable development' chapters, which have to be binding and enforceable; whereas the EU is committed to sustainable development through its trade facilitation agreements, such as the economic partnerships agreements, the GSP and the GSP+ programmes; 16 Eleonora Forenza, Lola Sánchez Caldentey, Stelios Kouloglou, Anne-Marie Mineur Recital C C. whereas all recently concluded EU C. whereas all recently concluded EU AM\1115647.docx 9/36 PE597.716v01-00
free trade agreements include Trade and sustainable development chapters; free trade agreements include 'Trade and sustainable development' chapters; whereas such chapters haven t stop bad practices or human rights abuses and lack binding obligations relating to multinational environmental and labour agreements, specific provisions on human rights and obligations for foreign investors; 17 Tokia Saïfi Recital C C. whereas all recently concluded EU free trade agreements include Trade and sustainable development chapters; C. whereas all free trade agreements concluded by the EU must include ambitious sustainable development chapters; Or. fr 18 Eleonora Forenza, Lola Sánchez Caldentey Recital C a (new) Ca. whereas the substantial concentration of economic power in the hands of a few huge multinationals operating on the market has a negative impact on working conditions and wages due to aggressive management of global value chains, which seeks to make prices as low as possible and delivery times as short as possible, with small profit margins; whereas this makes it impossible PE597.716v01-00 10/36 AM\1115647.docx
for suppliers to pay decent wages or to maintain normal working hours; Or. it 19 Marielle de Sarnez Recital C a (new) Ca. whereas the European Union must include among its priorities the promotion of social and environmental standards under the aegis of multilateral bodies such as the World Trade Organisation or the G20, as well as in all its bilateral relations with third countries; Or. fr 20 Heidi Hautala on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group Recital C a (new) Ca. whereas the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains in the Garment and Footwear sector provides the elements which an EU legal approach to the topic should contain; 21 Eleonora Forenza, Lola Sánchez Caldentey AM\1115647.docx 11/36 PE597.716v01-00
Recital C b (new) Cb. whereas the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights have clearly defined the responsibilities of governments and businesses, which are under an obligation to protect and respect human rights no matter at what point in the supply chain and in which country production takes place, and irrespective of whether it is the country of the principal or of the supplier; whereas the European Union has undertaken to encourage the adoption of the Guiding Principles and contribute to their implementation; Or. it 22 Alessia Maria Mosca, Sorin Moisă, David Martin, Nicola Danti, Karoline Graswander- Hainz, Inmaculada Rodríguez-Piñero Fernández, Maria Arena Paragraph 1 1. Supports the Commission s examination of a possible EU-wide initiative on the garment sector; notes, in addition, that the current multiplication of existing initiatives could result in an unpredictable environment for companies; 1. Calls on the Commission to develop a EU-wide mandatory duediligence system congruent with OECD guidelines; believes that the proposal should address human rights related issues, with a particular focus on social and labour rights and gender equality, promote the traceability and the transparency of value chains, enhance conscious consumption, supporting the improvement of consumer knowledge and participation; to this objective the Commission should further promote dialogue between public authorities and all key actors -including women and women's rights organizations-, with a view not only to identify possible risks PE597.716v01-00 12/36 AM\1115647.docx
linked to the value chain, but also to improve the dissemination of any new opportunities created by EU trade policies both within and outside our borders; 23 Sajjad Karim on behalf of the ECR Group Paragraph 1 1. Supports the Commission s examination of a possible EU-wide initiative on the garment sector; notes, in addition, that the current multiplication of existing initiatives could result in an unpredictable environment for companies; 1. Supports the Commission's examination of a possible EU-wide initiative on the garment sector-voluntary initiatives and strict codes of conduct shall be its key principles ; notes, in addition, that the current multiplication of existing initiatives at local regional and global levels could result in an unpredictable environment for companies; stresses furthermore that coordination, sharing information and exchange of best practices may contribute to increasing efficiency of private and public value chain initiatives and achieve positive results on sustainable development; 24 Marielle de Sarnez Paragraph 1 1. Supports the Commission s examination of a possible EU-wide initiative on the garment sector; notes, in addition, that the current multiplication of 1. Supports the Commission s examination of a possible EU-wide initiative on the garment sector; calls on the Commission to base its legislation on AM\1115647.docx 13/36 PE597.716v01-00
existing initiatives could result in an unpredictable environment for companies; the work of the OECD, so that businesses are guided by a uniform set of standards regarding due diligence and social responsibility; Or. fr 25 Tokia Saïfi Paragraph 1 1. Supports the Commission s examination of a possible EU-wide initiative on the garment sector; notes, in addition, that the current multiplication of existing initiatives could result in an unpredictable environment for companies; 1. Deplores the fact that the Commission has still not submitted the EU-wide initiative on the garment sector, and calls on it to launch it as soon as possible; notes, in addition, that the current multiplication of existing initiatives could result in an unpredictable environment for companies; Or. fr 26 Eleonora Forenza, Lola Sánchez Caldentey, Stelios Kouloglou Paragraph 1 1. Supports the Commission s examination of a possible EU-wide initiative on the garment sector; notes, in addition, that the current multiplication of existing initiatives could result in an unpredictable environment for companies; 1. Urge the Commission's to present an ambitious a EU-wide legislative initiative on the garment sector aligned with OECD Guidelines; PE597.716v01-00 14/36 AM\1115647.docx
27 Alessia Maria Mosca, Sorin Moisă, David Martin, Nicola Danti, Karoline Graswander- Hainz, Inmaculada Rodríguez-Piñero Fernández, Maria Arena Paragraph 1 a (new) 1a. Believes that the proposal should enable a harmonic cooperation with international organisation as the UN, the WTO, the ILO and the OECD, establishing common definitions to allow for more clear and coordinated actions and evaluations; calls for the recognition and valorisation of the existing successful initiatives, for example, through sustainable public procurement, linking access to public procurement to compliance with Corporate Social Responsibility schemes; and in this regard, values the 'Compact for Continuous Improvements in Labour Rights and Factory Safety in the Ready- Made Garment and Knitwear Industry in Bangladesh' (the Sustainability Compact) as a step forward in regards to the monitoring activity but calls on the actors involved to reach the full compliance and demands the European Commission to take action against the shortfalls indicated by the evaluation reports; 28 Eleonora Forenza, Lola Sánchez Caldentey, Stelios Kouloglou Paragraph 1 a (new) 1a. Takes notes that the initiatives that followed the Rana Plaza disaster have suffered from slow implementation in AM\1115647.docx 15/36 PE597.716v01-00
particular at ensuring that rights are in fact respected; considers fundamental that the new garment framework contains provisions that EU-based companies to ensure that fundamental labour rights are respected throughout the supply chains trough also the provision of stronger, legally binding tools that will ensure that rights are protected in law and respected in practice; 29 Tokia Saïfi Paragraph 1 a (new) 1a. Stresses therefore the need to draw up an overview of existing corporate social responsibility measures being implemented by European businesses, in order to be able to identify good practices more effectively and contribute to the creation of a common action framework at European level; recalls, with this in mind, that the private sector has also launched many initiatives to increase the responsibility displayed within the supply chain; Or. fr 30 Heidi Hautala on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group Paragraph 2 PE597.716v01-00 16/36 AM\1115647.docx
2. Stresses the need for a unified approach to the collection of data on social, environmental and labour performance, to be applied along the whole supply chain; points out that the industry-driven Higg Index covers all key impact areas; 2. Stresses the need for a unified approach to the collection of data on social, environmental and labour performance, to be applied along the whole supply chain; urges the EU Commission to go beyond the presentation of a Staff Working Document and asks for the elaboration of a fully fletched legal and enforceable tool box; points out that in addition to the OECD Guidance the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, the French law on mandatory due diligence and the UK anti-slavery bill, as well as the industry-driven Higg Index cover the main key impact areas and serve as a basis for such a Communication; 31 Tokia Saïfi Paragraph 2 2. Stresses the need for a unified approach to the collection of data on social, environmental and labour performance, to be applied along the whole supply chain; points out that the industry-driven Higg Index covers all key impact areas; 2. Stresses the need for a unified approach to the collection of data on social, environmental and labour performance, to be applied along the whole supply chain in order to increase the coherence of the assessment of corporate social responsibility, taking into account the diversity of the players in the sector; points out that the industry-driven Higg Index covers all key impact areas; Or. fr 32 Alessia Maria Mosca, Sorin Moisă, David Martin, Nicola Danti, Karoline Graswander- AM\1115647.docx 17/36 PE597.716v01-00
Hainz, Maria Arena, Inmaculada Rodríguez-Piñero Fernández Paragraph 2 2. Stresses the need for a unified approach to the collection of data on social, environmental and labour performance, to be applied along the whole supply chain; points out that the industry-driven Higg Index covers all key impact areas; 2. Stresses the need for an integrated approach to the collection of data on social, environmental and labour performance, to be applied along the whole supply chain; nevertheless notes that the supply chain's complexity and the diversity among the different players operating in the sector should be taken into account; 33 Sajjad Karim on behalf of the ECR Group Paragraph 2 2. Stresses the need for a unified approach to the collection of data on social, environmental and labour performance, to be applied along the whole supply chain; points out that the industry-driven Higg Index covers all key impact areas; 2. Stresses the need for a unified approach to the collection of data on social, environmental and labour performance and for standardised methodology for measuring the impact of garment value chains on sustainable development in particular, to be applied along the whole supply chain; points out that the industrydriven Higg Index covers all key impact areas; 34 Eleonora Forenza, Lola Sánchez Caldentey, Stelios Kouloglou Paragraph 2 PE597.716v01-00 18/36 AM\1115647.docx
2. Stresses the need for a unified approach to the collection of data on social, environmental and labour performance, to be applied along the whole supply chain; points out that the industry-driven Higg Index covers all key impact areas; 2. Stresses the need for a unified approach to the effective collection of data on human rights, social, environmental and labour performance, to be applied along the whole supply chain; points out that the industry-driven Higg Index covers all key impact areas; 35 Bernd Lange Paragraph 2 a (new) 2a. Calls on the Commission, as soon as possible, to draft a legislative proposal for binding compliance with the OECD Guidelines for textiles and shoes by means of obligations concerning due diligence and disclosure by businesses which import textiles into the EU. The new OECD guidelines for responsible textile and shoe supply chains must be recognised as a guiding principle and fully incorporated into law. Legislation should recognise national or industry programmes with similar or identical aims to those of the legislation if they fully comply with the requirements of the guidelines. Exceptions should apply to SMEs; Or. de 36 Heidi Hautala on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group AM\1115647.docx 19/36 PE597.716v01-00
Paragraph 2 a (new) 2a. Asks the Commission to pay special attention to the aspects of access to justice, remedy for victims and their families and the protection of whistleblowers in this Communication; 37 Tokia Saïfi Paragraph 3 3. Calls on the Commission to take into account the special needs of SMEs and base its approach on the scalability principle; 3. Recalls that 90% of the European textile and garment industry consists of SMEs, and calls on the Commission, therefore, to take into account the special needs of SMEs and base its approach on the scalability principle; recalls the need to establish technical assistance and specific financial support for SMEs in connection with the development of their duty of due diligence; Or. fr 38 Alessia Maria Mosca, Sorin Moisă, David Martin, Nicola Danti, Karoline Graswander- Hainz, Maria Arena Paragraph 3 3. Calls on the Commission to take into account the special needs of SMEs and 3. Calls on the Commission to take into account the special needs of SMEs, PE597.716v01-00 20/36 AM\1115647.docx
base its approach on the scalability principle; with particular regard to their capacity to deliver on traceability and transparency, and base its approach on the scalability principle; therefore invites the Commission to establish a specific helpdesk for SMEs and to support them with tailored capacity-building programs; 39 Marielle de Sarnez Paragraph 3 3. Calls on the Commission to take into account the special needs of SMEs and base its approach on the scalability principle; 3. Calls on the Commission to take into account the special needs of SMEs and base its approach on the scalability principle; considers that the European SMEs and micro-enterprises which are establishing the initiative should receive European financial support via the COSME programme; Or. fr 40 Daniel Caspary Paragraph 3 3. Calls on the Commission to take into account the special needs of SMEs and base its approach on the scalability principle; 3. Calls on the Commission to take into account the special needs of SMEs and base its approach on the scalability principle; calls in this context for SMEs not to be subjected to disproportionate burdens; Or. de AM\1115647.docx 21/36 PE597.716v01-00
41 Eleonora Forenza, Lola Sánchez Caldentey, Stelios Kouloglou, Anne-Marie Mineur Paragraph 3 3. Calls on the Commission to take into account the special needs of SMEs and base its approach on the scalability principle; 3. Calls on the Commission to take into account the special needs of SMEs and base its approach on the scalability principle by supporting them in their fulfilment of OECD Guidelines requirements; 42 Tokia Saïfi Paragraph 4 4. Recalls that the traceability and transparency of the supply chain is the key to achieving sustained change; recommends that trustworthy, clear and meaningful information on sustainability be made available to consumers; 4. Recalls that the traceability and transparency of the supply chain is the key to achieving sustained change; calls on the Commission, therefore, to increase the traceability and transparency of the supply chain in the garment industry in a realistic and balanced way which can be pursued while taking into account the diversity and specific characteristics of the players in the chain; recommends that trustworthy, clear and meaningful information on sustainability be made available to consumers; Or. fr 43 Alessia Maria Mosca, David Martin, Nicola Danti, Karoline Graswander-Hainz, Maria PE597.716v01-00 22/36 AM\1115647.docx
Arena, Inmaculada Rodríguez-Piñero Fernández Paragraph 4 4. Recalls that the traceability and transparency of the supply chain is the key to achieving sustained change; recommends that trustworthy, clear and meaningful information on sustainability be made available to consumers; 4. Recalls that the traceability and transparency of the supply chain is the key to achieving sustained change; recognizes that the lack of access to information is crucial in preventing public awareness over human rights violations; therefore reiterates the need of a due diligence system that provides information on the whole supply chain linking each products to the respective producers; invites the European Commission to amend the relevant regulations in order to make customs registers public; 44 Eleonora Forenza, Lola Sánchez Caldentey, Stelios Kouloglou, Anne-Marie Mineur Paragraph 4 4. Recalls that the traceability and transparency of the supply chain is the key to achieving sustained change; recommends that trustworthy, clear and meaningful information on sustainability be made available to consumers; 4. Recalls that not only traceability, but also transparency of the supply chain is the key to achieving sustained change; recommends that trustworthy, clear and meaningful information on sustainability be made available to consumers; stresses that only binding transparency provisions can set up a level playing field which ensures a fair competition between business avoiding social dumping; AM\1115647.docx 23/36 PE597.716v01-00
45 Heidi Hautala on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group Paragraph 4 4. Recalls that the traceability and transparency of the supply chain is the key to achieving sustained change; recommends that trustworthy, clear and meaningful information on sustainability be made available to consumers; 4. Recalls that the traceability and transparency of the supply chain is the key to achieving sustained change; recommends that trustworthy, clear and meaningful information on sustainability, covering all subcontractors of a brand to be included as part of mandatory reporting schemes for all companies operating in Europe and to be made publicly available; 46 Daniel Caspary Paragraph 4 4. Recalls that the traceability and transparency of the supply chain is the key to achieving sustained change; recommends that trustworthy, clear and meaningful information on sustainability be made available to consumers; 4. Recalls that the traceability and transparency of the supply chain make an important contribution towards achieving sustained change; recommends that trustworthy, clear and meaningful information on sustainability be made available to consumers; Or. de 47 Bernd Lange Paragraph 4 a (new) PE597.716v01-00 24/36 AM\1115647.docx
4a. Calls on the Commission, in the forthcoming revision of the GSP Regulation, to introduce tariff preferences for textiles which have demonstrably been produced sustainably. The goods should be submitted on a voluntary basis for certification of their sustainable mode of production and proof thereof should be produced upon import into the EU. In this way, the EU could support the efforts of private industry to make the textile value chain sustainable. The recognition would be granted in accordance with established sustainability criteria and minimum requirements regarding evidence or certification systems. The sustainability requirements would be based, inter alia, on international conventions, for example the ILO s core labour standards or the Convention on Biodiversity (CBD). Moreover, in this way the production of fair trade products (such as those certified by Social Accountability International (SAI) or under the Fairtrade Textile Standard) would be strengthened and promoted; Or. de 48 Tokia Saïfi Paragraph 4 a (new) 4a. Stresses that the negotiation by the European Union of free trade agreements containing an ambitious sustainable development chapter represents an opportunity for the European Union to help to improve respect for the rights of workers particularly women and contribute to the abolition of all forms of AM\1115647.docx 25/36 PE597.716v01-00
child labour and forced labour; stresses that the implementation of free trade agreements facilitates, in particular, the development of a dialogue between businesses and civil society regarding the supply chain in the garment industry, and can thus help to improve production conditions and the safety of workers; Or. fr 49 Eleonora Forenza, Lola Sánchez Caldentey, Stelios Kouloglou, Anne-Marie Mineur Paragraph 4 a (new) 4a. Calls for the inclusion in the garment initiative of the obligation for EU companies ensure that fundamental labour rights are respected in supply chains trough the introduction of mandatory due diligence aligned with OECD Guidelines as well as a reporting system with, inter alia, information concerning the list of suppliers as well as of the actions adopted to ensure respect for human rights together with progress reports concerning their implementation and effectiveness; 50 Tokia Saïfi Paragraph 4 b (new) 4b. Recalls that the establishment of schemes such as the GSP+, by means of PE597.716v01-00 26/36 AM\1115647.docx
the requirement to ratify and implement the 27 conventions, could help to improve the situation with regard to workers rights, promotion of gender equality and abolition of child labour and forced labour; with this in mind, stresses the need to monitor carefully the implementation of the GSP+ and respect for the conventions by the countries concerned; Or. fr 51 Eleonora Forenza, Lola Sánchez Caldentey, Stelios Kouloglou Paragraph 4 b (new) 4b. Encourages EU and member states to promote trough the garment initiative and other trade policy instruments, the effective implementation of the ILO standards on wages and working hours, with partner countries also in the garment sector. Further to this; calls the EU to provide guidance and support on how to enhance respect for these while helping to build sustainable enterprises and improve sustainable employment prospects; 52 Tokia Saïfi Paragraph 4 c (new) 4c. Stresses that the Sustainability AM\1115647.docx 27/36 PE597.716v01-00
Pact launched after the Rana Plaza disaster is a worthwhile European initiative which could serve as a basis for the planning of fresh measures in partnership with third countries in order to pursue the aims of improving working conditions, health and safety at work in the garment industry; Or. fr 53 Tokia Saïfi Paragraph 4 d (new) 4d. Calls on the Commission to continue and intensify its international cooperation with such organisations as the ILO, the OECD or the United Nations in order to promote greater responsibility on the part of players in the supply chain of the textile and garment industry; Or. fr 54 Alessia Maria Mosca, Sorin Moisă, David Martin, Nicola Danti, Karoline Graswander- Hainz, Maria Arena, Inmaculada Rodríguez-Piñero Fernández Paragraph 5 5. Believes that the development of industrial relations and collective bargaining and the establishment of easyto-access and effective grievances mechanisms, according to internationally agreed standards, are among the main guarantees for the proper respect of labour 5. Calls on supplier countries' governments to engage with all the stakeholders to develop industrial relations and collective bargaining, and to commit the producers for the establishment of easy-to-access and effective grievances mechanisms, that, according to PE597.716v01-00 28/36 AM\1115647.docx
standards and human rights in supplier countries; internationally agreed standards, are among the main guarantees for the proper respect of labour standards and human rights; calls on the European Commission to further promote the ratification and the effective control over the implementation of the core ILO conventions and the ILO Decent Work Agenda; to this aim, calls the Commission to support the ILO, local governments and labour organizations providing capacity-building assistance in industrial relations, as well as in the enforcement of labour rights and labour laws, with a special focus on the eradication of child labour and forced labour, as well as the promotion of the highest standards of health and safety protection; considers unacceptable the suspension of workers' rights in the Export Processing Zones (EPZs) and calls on the European Commission to take concrete actions in this regard; 55 Tokia Saïfi Paragraph 5 5. Believes that the development of industrial relations and collective bargaining and the establishment of easyto-access and effective grievances mechanisms, according to internationally agreed standards, are among the main guarantees for the proper respect of labour standards and human rights in supplier countries; 5. Believes that the development of industrial relations and collective bargaining and the establishment of easyto-access and effective grievances mechanisms, according to internationally agreed standards, are among the main guarantees for the proper respect of labour standards and human rights in supplier countries; encourages the European Union to develop and continue a dialogue with certain third countries in order to help improve the rights of workers and respect for human rights in those AM\1115647.docx 29/36 PE597.716v01-00
countries; Or. fr 56 Eleonora Forenza, Lola Sánchez Caldentey, Stelios Kouloglou, Anne-Marie Mineur Paragraph 5 5. Believes that the development of industrial relations and collective bargaining and the establishment of easyto-access and effective grievances mechanisms, according to internationally agreed standards, are among the main guarantees for the proper respect of labour standards and human rights in supplier countries; 5. Believes that the development of industrial relations and collective bargaining and the establishment of easyto-access and effective non-judicial grievances mechanisms at the national level to complement judicial avenues for redress, in line with the framework developed by the UN special representative on business and human rights, are among the main guarantees for the proper respect of labour standards and human rights in supplier countries; 57 Heidi Hautala on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group Paragraph 5 a (new) 5a. Underlines that EU should revise its current trade instruments, from the unilateral ones such as GSP and GSP+, to bilateral ones, such as Partnership and Cooperation Agreements (PCAs), Associations Agreements (AAs) and Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), in order to enshrine legally enforceable criteria or mechanisms, and provide the Sustainable PE597.716v01-00 30/36 AM\1115647.docx
Development Chapters of agreements under negotiation with enforceable language on this issue; 58 Eleonora Forenza, Lola Sánchez Caldentey, Stelios Kouloglou, Anne-Marie Mineur Paragraph 5 a (new) 5a. Calls for the EU and Members states to support the work of the UN's Human Rights Council and of the UNEP on an international treaty that would also improve the effectiveness of corporate social responsibility in the garment sector; 59 Marielle de Sarnez Paragraph 5 a (new) 5a. Hopes that the Commission proposal will draw inspiration from the sustainability compact initiative launched in Bangladesh after the collapse of the Rana Plaza; Or. fr 60 Heidi Hautala on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group AM\1115647.docx 31/36 PE597.716v01-00
Paragraph 5 b (new) 5b. Asks for clarification on how garments produced in Export Processing Zones, with low or no labour protection, can be identified in general and excluded from the GSP+ scheme in a given beneficiary country; 61 Heidi Hautala on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group Paragraph 5 c (new) 5c. Is convinced that public procurement is useful tool for the promotion of a responsible garment industry; 62 Alessia Maria Mosca, Sorin Moisă, David Martin, Nicola Danti, Karoline Graswander- Hainz, Maria Arena, Inmaculada Rodríguez-Piñero Fernández Paragraph 6 6. Calls for the gender aspect to be taken into account in the EU garment initiative. 6. Calls for the gender aspect to be mainstreamed in the EU garment initiative; therefore believes that the proposal should promote women empowerment, non-discrimination, gender equality, with a particular focus PE597.716v01-00 32/36 AM\1115647.docx
on women's social and labour rights and international standards, including the promotion of equal pay for equal job, maternity protection and women participation in collective bargaining, and pursue the eradication of and harassments in workplaces as already envisaged by European and international commitments; 63 Sajjad Karim on behalf of the ECR Group Paragraph 6 6. Calls for the gender aspect to be taken into account in the EU garment initiative. 6. Calls for the gender aspect to be taken into account in the EU garment initiative and for specific measures on women's empowerment in particular; points out that global garment industry labour force is highly feminised - about 85% of workers employed in this sector are women who often face difficult working conditions and low salaries; 64 Eleonora Forenza, Lola Sánchez Caldentey, Stelios Kouloglou Paragraph 6 6. Calls for the gender aspect to be taken into account in the EU garment initiative. 6. Calls for the gender aspect to be mainstreamed all over the EU garment initiative; Considers, in this regard, fundamental a broad based effective participation of women and women's AM\1115647.docx 33/36 PE597.716v01-00
rights organizations in both consultations and trade negotiations; 65 Tokia Saïfi Paragraph 6 6. Calls for the gender aspect to be taken into account in the EU garment initiative. 6. Calls for the gender aspect to be taken into account in the EU garment initiative, particularly to enable significant progress to be made with regard to wage equality. Or. fr 66 Alessia Maria Mosca, David Martin, Nicola Danti, Karoline Graswander-Hainz, Maria Arena, Inmaculada Rodríguez-Piñero Fernández Paragraph 6 a (new) 6a. Reiterates its request for sustainable impact assessments for every newly negotiated agreement and calls for a gender-disaggregated collection of data; 67 Alessia Maria Mosca, Sorin Moisă, David Martin, Nicola Danti, Karoline Graswander- Hainz, Maria Arena, Inmaculada Rodríguez-Piñero Fernández Paragraph 6 b (new) PE597.716v01-00 34/36 AM\1115647.docx
6b. Calls on the Commission to engage with multinational companies, retailers and brands and encourage them to commit for an enhanced corporate social responsibility; expects EU companies to guaranty full respect of ILO core labour standards, across their supply chains in line with the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises and the ILO Tripartite Declaration of Principles concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy, demands them to engage in fruitful dialogues with local workers and organisations; invites the European Commission to favour the exchange of best practices; 68 Alessia Maria Mosca, Sorin Moisă, David Martin, Nicola Danti, Karoline Graswander- Hainz, Maria Arena, Inmaculada Rodríguez-Piñero Fernández Paragraph 6 c (new) 6c. Acknowledges the need of a global level playing field to protect workers from environmental and social dumping; taking into account its critical mass, trusts the EU capacity to be a global champion and to drive the change; believes that only a multilateral framework could prevent human and labour rights' violations; therefore encourages the European Commission to engage with international partners at the next World Trade Organisation ministerial meeting to launch a global initiative; AM\1115647.docx 35/36 PE597.716v01-00
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