Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2002-07-04-Speech-4-052"
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"en.20020704.3.4-052"2
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"Mr President, I should like to offer my sincere congratulations to the Commission and to Mrs Gillig, and also to all the Parliamentary committees that have, in actual fact, drafted excellent reports.
The globalisation of the economy, which is inevitable, is only accepted if it improves living and working conditions. Since the European Union, with its strong economy, is one of the key players in this globalisation, Europe is obliged to commit to improving social conditions. For this purpose, Europe can use various levers, and the question is to what extent these levers are actually being used.
I should like to ask the Commissioner two questions in this respect.
My first question is about Europe itself. People are still being abused in our own countries. Just think of child labour or domestic slavery. These practices contravene fundamental labour standards. I have written an initiative report on this domestic slavery. I have often quizzed the Commission to find out to what extent it is dealing with this issue. I have to be frank with you, Commissioner; I have never had any feedback, even though you have promised to make efforts in this area.
My second question is about the cooperation agreements with third countries, to which clauses were added recently concerning respect for fundamental labour standards. The Committee on Development and Cooperation notes on this subject that nothing is being done to implement these new provisions.
My question is: how is cooperation being organised on these issues within the European Commission? Between, for example, the Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid and the Commissioner for Employment and Social Affairs. To what extent are you involved in these issues? To what extent is it possible for you, from you office, to monitor and stimulate these issues? In fact, the same question could be asked about the introduction and follow-up of clauses concerning human rights and women’s rights. I shall never forget, Commissioner, how everyone was up in arms about the destruction of the statues by the Taliban while simultaneously, a huge number of women were being murdered. These matters should also be followed up."@en1
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