Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2012-03-13-Speech-2-584-000"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20120313.23.2-584-000"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spokenAs | |
| lpv:translated text |
"Mr President, it falls to me to launch a debate on two issues that are linked but different. The first is the International Cocoa Agreement 2010, for which Parliament’s assent is being requested, and the second is a motion for a resolution on child labour in the cocoa sector. I am the rapporteur for the Committee on International Trade and the author of the resolution that the same committee is tabling before Parliament.
As regards the former, the Committee on International Trade is unanimously proposing that Parliament authorise the Council to conclude the International Cocoa Agreement 2010 for three key reasons. Firstly, the agreement makes the International Cocoa Organisation (ICO) better able to take action in this sector. Secondly, the agreement confers greater clarity and transparency as regards how the ICO operates, and increases civil society participation in its work. Thirdly, the aforementioned agreement introduces new provisions intended to promote sound labour relations and a sustainable cocoa economy.
The agreement requires the contracting parties to improve working conditions, in line with the internationally recognised rules and principles of the International Labour Organisation. It also encourages the contracting parties themselves to promote the sustainable development of the cocoa economy and to implement programmes and projects with a view to achieving these goals. As one of the major cocoa importers, the European Union has an increased responsibility to guarantee that production of, and trade in, cocoa are undertaken in the most transparent and sustainable way possible. The International Cocoa Agreement, which is, in fact, provisionally in force, is currently our best ally in taking up this responsibility.
As regards the resolution that I mentioned, I believe the issue of child labour on cocoa plantations is too serious for us to ignore it when giving our consent to the International Cocoa Agreement. That is why I tabled, and the Committee on International Trade adopted, the motion for a resolution expressing our concerns about the continued use of child labour on cocoa plantations, particularly in western Africa.
In the last 10 years, increasing awareness of this issue amongst consumers and producers, as well as amongst political decision makers, has been leading to the welcome mobilisation of the international cocoa industry to work together with all stakeholders, such as international institutions, trades unions and NGOs, to eliminate, at least, the worst forms of child labour in cocoa production. Nonetheless, much remains to be done. Children working in cocoa fields are exposed to serious health risks. There are no reliable data on the scale of the problem. The estimates range from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands. Whatever its extent, it is enough for us to be concerned, and for us to stretch ourselves to breaking point to eradicate child labour in cocoa production, and its most serious forms in particular.
The issue of child labour should be dealt with comprehensively, involving political decision makers, stakeholders and, obviously, the EU institutions. I await the comments of the Commission, to which we would pose specific questions: we would like concrete and satisfactory answers on how it believes the EU should respond to this issue."@en1
|
| lpv:videoURI |
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples