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Motion for a resolution - B5-0191/2004Motion for a resolution
B5-0191/2004

MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION

19 avril 2004

tabled for the debate on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law
pursuant to Rule 50 of the Rules of Procedure
by Hughes, Gillig, Karamanou and van den Berg, PSE, Lambert, Bouwman and Breyer, V, Schmid, Bakapoulous, Kaufmann and Koulourianos, GUE/NGL
on the respect for core labour rights in the production of Olympics sports goods

Procedure : 2004/2541(RSP)
Document stages in plenary
Document selected :  
B5-0191/2004
Texts tabled :
B5-0191/2004
Texts adopted :

B5-0191/2004

European parliament resolution on the respect for core labour rights in the production of Olympics sports goods

The European parliament,

having regard to the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, adopted by the International Labour Conference at its 86th session on 18 June 1998

having regard to the ILO Declaration of Principles concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy,

having regard to the EU Guidelines on Multinational Enterprises,

having regard to the OECD Guidelines for Multinational enterprises,

having regard to the UN Norms on the Responsibilities of Transnational Corporations and other Business Enterprises with Regard to Human Rights,

having regard to the Commission communication to the Council, the European Parliament and the Economic and Social Committee entitled 'Promoting core labour standards and improving social governance in the context of globalisation' (COM(2001) 416),

having regard to the Commission communication (COM(2001) 366) and to its own resolution of 30 May 2002 on the Green Paper on promoting corporate social responsibility,

having regard to the Fundamental Principles of the Olympic Charter which states that Olympism seeks to create a way of life based on the joy found in effort, the educational value of good example and respect for universal fundamental ethical principles,

A. Whereas the Olympics movement has yet to pledge commitment to respect core labour rights to the millions of workers who make its products,

B. Whereas the IOC Charter has yet to include core labour rights in its ethical code and commissions,

C.Whereas evidence shows that the production of sportswear and athletic footwear is organised through an elaborate international system of sub-contractors and suppliers, and that there is growing consumer concerns about abusive employment conditions prevalent in the global supply chain to famous sportswear brands,

D.Whereas the purchasing practices of global sourcing companies can drive abusive employment practices as their demands of sourcing companies for ever shorter delivery times and lower prices are often translated by suppliers into inhumane working hours and near subsistence wages,

E.whereas precarious employment among women workers perpetuates poverty, hampers development and gender equity, is unsustainable and is a violation of human dignity,

F.whereas many sportswear companies have pledged voluntary ethical codes of conduct, but such ethical commitment have yet to be integrated with their core business practices and sourcing strategies for their global supply chains,

G.whereas some leading sportswear companies and socially responsible investment firms have acknowledged that the current ruthless business and labour practices in the global supply chain are unsustainable;

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1 Calls upon sportswear companies to adopt sourcing policies that call for suppliers and their sub-contractors to respect internationally recognized labour standards including all of the human rights standards identified by the ILO as being the fundamental rights at work plus the right to a living wage based on a regular working week that does not exceed 48 hours, humane working hours with no forced overtime, a safe and healthy workplace free from harassment,

2 Calls upon the commission, in the run up to the Olympics, to ask the key players of the world sportswear and athletic footwear industry – sportswear brands, the World Federation of Sporting Goods Industry, and the IOC – to commit to a sectoral solution which aims to eliminate the exploitation and abuse of workers producing sportswear and athletic footwear in the world today,

3 Calls upon sportswear companies to take immediate steps to ensuring specifically that the right of workers to form and join trade unions is respected throughout their respective supply-chains.

4 calls upon suppliers and manufacturers of sportswear and athletic footwear to adopt labour practices that provide working conditions that comply with international labour standards and national labour legislation

5.Call upon the European Commission to work with the ILO to get the IOC to include respect for internationally accepted labour rights in its fundamental principles, the Olympic charter, and its Code of Ethics and to insist that the IOC require that, as a contractual condition in its licensing, sponsorship and marketing agreements labour practices and working conditions involved in the production of IOC branded products comply with internationally recognized labour standards including all of the human rights standards identified by the ILO as being the fundamental rights

6 Urges the World Federation of Sporting Goods Industry to commit to promoting publicly the necessity to end the exploitation and abuse involved in the sportswear and athletic footwear industries and come forward with concrete and identifiable measures for a sectoral solution,

7 Calls on the Commission to report to the European Parliament before the end of July on the steps and measures taken on this resolution;

8 Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the old and new Member States, the Commission, IOC, the WFSGI (World Federation of Sporting Goods Industry) and the ILO.