The partnership of Bangladesh and the European Union (EU) is a strategic choice that reflects shared interests and respect for universal values.
Bangladesh has a growing, dynamic economy. In the readymade garment sector it is a powerhouse, widely recognised - at the top end of local production facilities - for quality as well as value.
As the principal commercial partner of Bangladesh, it is access to the EU market, the single largest market in the world, that has created the conditions in which factory owners have invested and built numerous successes, millions of citizens (and in particular women) have been gainfully employed and enormous revenue has been generated for Bangladesh.
It is a simple fact that our joint commercial success story is the result of the duty-free and quota-free access of Bangladesh to the EU under the Everything But Arms (EBA) scheme. EBA was designed to help boost development and growth. As Bangladesh has developed and grown, it makes perfect sense that our trade relationship will further evolve. In all transparency, we are determined to ensure a smooth and sustainable transition.
Our interests include respect for international standards on human rights, labour rights, gender equality, environmental standards and good governance. Labour rights are central, notably since the Rana Plaza tragedy in 2013. The EU and Bangladesh have recognised this in the National Action Plan on the Labour Sector 2021-2026(NAP) that was negotiated in minute detail.
There is an opportunity, now, to modernise Bangladesh's labour law in a way that will set the country out as one that upholds international labour standards, promotes social cohesion and ensures a just and equitable work environment for all.
The EU and its Member States present in Dhaka value the efforts made so far to implement the National Action Plan. Never before have we seen the level of political support for improved labour rights as we see from the current interim government. However, the upcoming process (by March this year) to amend the Bangladesh Labour Act is encountering obstacles.
The amendments we see barely take account of key recommendations from the EU (synonymous with those of the International Labour Organization) as also reflected in the Aide Memoire for the November 2024 3+5+1 meeting. The state of play largely ignores the NAP and the recommendations of the ILO Committee of Expertson the Application of Conventions and Recommendations.
It is a matter of fundamental human rights to ensure that all workers can freely organise, that trade unions can be established and operate without discrimination, harassment, or interference, that workers can negotiate their working conditions, and that they can exercise the right to strike when necessary. This is a precondition for meaningful social dialogue.
A unified and fair labour law must be implemented so as to guarantee that no worker faces imprisonment for collective action, all workers receive equal protection and collective bargaining is a reality in practice. Fines to prevent practices such as child labour must be truly punitive. Trade union registration should be possible for workers in all sectors, facilitated by a fair and transparent process, which limits administrative hurdles to the necessary and is free from outside interference. Carve-outs for specific zones or for specific industries have no place in a modern Bangladesh wishing to trade on its reputation for respecting human rights.
A meaningful reform of the Labour Act is needed to maintaintrustful cooperation under EBA, and to facilitate access to the EU's similarly advantageous GSP-plus scheme after Bangladesh's graduation from LDC status. Additionally, compliance of Bangladeshi exporters with the EU's Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive will be aided by putting adequate laws in place. Without this, the EU will have severe difficulties to conclude that the NAP and the ILO Roadmap under Article 26 have been fully and satisfactorily implemented.
Beyond international processes and procedures, reputation is central to Bangladesh's continued growth. Well-informed European consumers are eager to know which producers guarantee the fundamental rights of their workers, and which do not.
The EU and its Member States are offering to partner with Bangladesh on this. Together, we have invested massively in decent work, including for women, in upgrading environmental compliance and in safety, retro fitting Bangladeshi workplaces. We wish to continue on that pathway. But we need all stakeholders in Bangladesh to act on the NAP.
Our expectations could not be clearer. There is a need to modernise and reform, and to adopt a different level of ambition that unequivocally maps out the steps to implement the NAP. We urge the authorities to act decisively, trade unions to contribute and employers to recognise and support the need for substantial change.
Signed: The EU and its Member States present in Dhaka
For further contact: Towheed.FEROZE@eeas.europa.eu
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