Answer given by Ms Thyssen on behalf of the Commission
18.11.2016
On the alleged situation of forced labour concerning citizens of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) working abroad, the Commission refers the Honourable Members to its answer to written questions P-004172/2016[1] and E-013290/2015[2].
1. As to the alleged breaches in Poland, the Commission has contacted the Polish authorities which are fully aware of the claims presented in the media. It is the responsibility of the national authorities, including the labour inspectorates, police and judicial authorities, to ensure that the prohibition of forced labour and the rules on working conditions are enforced. The Commission monitors this application and if breaches of Union law by Poland or other Member States are identified, the Commission will launch infringement procedures.
2. The Commission holds no records of companies hiring DPRK workers and does not have the power to establish such a record system.
3. The Commission has no power to check individual work contracts offered to DPRK workers and will not establish a systematic review mechanism.
With regard to sanctions, the EU's additional restrictive measures complement those measures adopted by the UN Security Council (SC) and also implemented in the EU through a Council Decision and Council Regulation. These include restrictive measures provided by the latest UN SC Resolution 2270 of March 2016, aiming at the DPRK's illegal nuclear, Weapons of Mass Destruction and ballistic missile programmes.
Under the current EU, restrictive regime transactions relating to personal remittances or transactions in connection with legitimate trade contracts are subject to prior authorisation by the national competent authorities.