Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/1999-11-17-Speech-3-063"
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"en.19991117.3.3-063"2
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"Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, the closer we get to the Millennium Round, the greater the need for explaining to our people why exactly we want to have a new liberalisation round within the framework of the WTO. Each of us who has recently had anything to do with the non-governmental organisations has had to constantly hear that the major liberalisation step since the Uruguay Round has not been the absolute
. And quite right! There is greater dissatisfaction among the poorer countries because people are wondering where all the promised prosperity has gone, who has cashed in and how the poor have become even poorer. This is shown by the facts of the UNCTAD and OECD reports. This should not be the case!
It is not for me at this time to elaborate on the advantages which we will gain from the next liberalisation step. That will be done by my colleagues. It is my job to point out previous failings and our inability to provide social balance in the world. For this reason, we in the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs naturally stand up primarily for the personal situation of those affected and for their rights and bring this to the debate. This is of particular importance in the poorer countries especially; countries which have a worse democratic/political tendency. We want free world trade to be tied in with the basic questions of future policy, our future, the questions of social harmony and environmental concerns. We do not want to support any new protectionism – absolutely not; rather, we want the seven core Labour Standards of the International Labour Organisation to also be guaranteed for workers in the ACP and developing countries.
Why the seven core Labour Standards? These seven core Labour Standards are based on the four basic human rights in the workplace; the right of association and to organise freely and unhindered, the right to form trade unions, the right to freedom from forced labour and the right to a childhood. We still have five-year olds standing or sitting at the loom whilst their parents have no work. This is nothing new! Or the right not to suffer discrimination on grounds of sex, religion, political persuasion or national or ethical background. We want these rights to also be afforded to workers in the poorer countries. At this very time when new partners such as China are joining us within the framework of the WTO, this is of particular importance.
What I have been speaking about is the real concern of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, namely to provide the workers of these countries with a tool to defend themselves, the right to be able to defend themselves. This in itself can provide more social balance. This, Commissioner, also belongs on the negotiating table and is our concern."@en1
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