Labour rights in Export Processing Zones with a focus on GSP+ beneficiary countries
The European Union’s GSP+ scheme provides trade concessions to beneficiary countries and obliges them to ratify and effectively implement key international conventions on human rights and labour rights. The sectoral gains of GSP+ have thus far been concentrated on exports of apparel, textiles and processed fish. Such sectors are often located in Export Processing Zones (EPZs) where the governance of labour rights may differ from the rest of the country and fall below international legal standards. This study examines the apparel sectors of Pakistan, Mongolia and Sri Lanka and the processed fish sector of the Philippines. The importance of EPZs to exports under the GSP+ varies by country and sector. Only in Pakistan are EPZs legally exempt from rights relating to freedom of association and collective bargaining. But restrictions on these and other rights in practice remain widespread, and are not confined to EPZs. Efforts to promote labour rights through the GSP+ should focus on key export sectors benefitting from the scheme and consider EPZs alongside other sites of the supply chain where exploited workers are based.
Étude
Auteur externe
Benjamin RICHARDSON, James HARRISON and Liam CAMPLING
À propos de ce document
Type de publication
Mot-clé
- AGRICULTURE, SYLVICULTURE ET PÊCHE
- Asie - Océanie
- clause sociale
- commerce international
- condition de travail
- conditions et organisation du travail
- construction européenne
- DROIT
- droit du travail
- droit international
- droit international du travail
- droits et libertés
- EMPLOI ET TRAVAIL
- ENTREPRISE ET CONCURRENCE
- GÉOGRAPHIE
- géographie économique
- INDUSTRIE
- industrie de la pêche
- industrie du vêtement
- industries du cuir et du textile
- intégration des questions d'égalité entre les hommes et les femmes
- liberté syndicale
- Mongolie
- négociation collective
- organisation de l'entreprise
- Pakistan
- Philippines
- politique commerciale
- politique commerciale commune
- politique et structures industrielles
- préférences généralisées
- pêche
- relation et droit du travail
- responsabilité sociale de l'entreprise
- rôle international de l'UE
- Sri Lanka
- UNION EUROPÉENNE
- zone franche industrielle
- ÉCHANGES ÉCONOMIQUES ET COMMERCIAUX