More info on the Howitt
resolution
Statement of the European Clean Clothes Campaigns regarding
the Resolution of the European Parliament concerning
EU standards for European Enterprises operating in developing
countries: towards a European Code of Conduct (the so-called Howitt
resolution); adopted 13/01/1999.
15-11-2000
The European Clean Clothes Campaigns represent over 200 NGOs
and trade unions in 10 European countries and have close partnerships
with labour related organisations in many regions of the world.
The Clean Clothes Campaign aims to improve the working conditions
in the global garment and sportswear industries. To achieve this,
the campaign supports workers organizations and mobilizes consumers,
calls upon companies to respect internationally recognized labour
standards and accept independent monitoring and calls upon public
authorities to encourage corporate responsibility and ethical
consumption.
The Clean Clothes Campaigns consider the resolution to be a major
step forward, since more legislative measures for the improvement
of labour conditions in the worldwide garment and sportswear are
essential. Therefore the CCC fully supports the central demand of
the resolution: developing the right legal basis for establishing
an EU framework governing companies operations worldwide.
The resolution includes a number of concrete actions that can be
taken by the European Parliament and the European Commission. To
our disappointment to date no follow-up has been given to any of
the proposals outlined in the resolution with the exception of the
public hearing to be organized the 22nd of november 2000 by the
MEP Mr. Howitt.
We urgently call upon the Members of Parliament and the Commission
to make a start with the implementation of this important resolution,
taking into account the suggestions made below.
1. The resolution calls on the Commission and the Council to establish
a model Code of Conduct for European Businesses, and states that
this code should be based on existing international standards such
as those of the ILO.
The CCC welcomes this proposition as it would allow for the harmonisation
of codes of conduct, which is in the interest of workers and consumers
as well as of subcontractors and suppliers. According to the CCC,
the model code should include all the standards listed in ICFTU
model code as well as CCC's own model code, which means that in
addition to the core labour conventions a the right to a living
wage, a safe and healthy working environment, security of employment
and a 48 hour working week (no forced overtime) should be included.
The Howitt resolution gives ample scope for this, as it mentions
the ILO Tripartite Declaration and the UN declaration and different
covenants on Human Rights, in which all the abovementioned rights
are guaranteed.
2. Companies which adopt such a code have to accept that its implementation
will be verified by an independent monitoring or verification mechanism.
The resolution calls on the Commission and member states to promote
the founding of such a mechanism.
According to the CCC, monitoring and verification practices should
not just enable an evaluation of the working conditions, but also
promote social dialogue and development at the local level. The
direct involvement of workers, trade unions and labour related NGOs
in all stages of the monitoring and verification process is essential.
The monitoring and verification should also encompass the policies
of the buying companies with respect to issues like pricing policies
and delivery schedules, crucial to the ability of suppliers to comply
with the code.
3. The resolution confirms the support for a 'social label'.
For the CCC, a social label, or certification system is necessary
to give consumers an informed choice but has to founded on the base
of a code including a monitoring and verification system as described
above.
4. The resolution states that resources must be set aside, among
others for technical and financial assistance to "monitoring
groups" in developing countries.
The CCC is of the opinion that for monitoring groups to function,
these resources should allow for enlarging the capacity of trade
unions and NGOs to organize workers in both the formal and informal
sectors, to provide worker education on labour rights and to promote
ethical consumption around the world.
5. The resolution calls on the commission to set up a European
Monitoring Platform in close cooperation with the social partners,
NGOs from the South and the North and indigenous and local communities.
This Monitoring platform would have as its task among others to
look into how companies comply with their code of conduct, and to
receive complaints concerning violations of labour standards.
The CCC deems it essential to clarify at short notice the respective
roles of the monitoring platform and the monitoring and verification
mechanism. In addition, the complaints system needs to be specified
in terms of conditions, aims, procedures etc. The Monitoring Platform
should be established without delay. The CCC wishes to stress again
that genuine direct involvement of Southern trade unions and NGOs
is essential.
6. The resolution proposes that during this legislative period
special rapporteurs are appointed and annual hearings are held in
the European Parliament, inviting social partners and NGOs from
the South and the North, until the time the Monitoring Platform
is established.
The CCC requests the rapid programming of an official hearing in
the year 2001 and that a budget is provided so that trade unions
and NGOs can participate as foreseen.
The Clean Clothes Campaigns consider the right legal basis essential
for appropriate development of the measures outlined (code of conduct,
monitoring and verification mechanism, social label, complaints
mechanism) and therefore again stress the importance of effective
implementation of the resolution. Implementation will depend on
the actions of the European Commission, the Member States and European
Members of Parliament.
The Clean Clothes Campaigns requests the members of parliament
to:
- Actively promote the proposals outlined in the resolution with
the Commission and the Council;
- To request the European Parliament to appoint the special rapporteurs
and schedule the hearings;
- To demand that in the budget of the European Union resources
are made available to realize the technical and financial assistance
mentioned in the Resolution.
For more information :
CCC European secretariat/Schone Kleren Kampagne Nederland: Ineke
Zeldenrust, +31-20-4122785, info@cleanclothes.org
Germany: Kampagne fur Saubere Kleidung, Ingeborg Wick, +49 228-472237
England: Labour behind the Label, Chantal Finney, +44 1603-610993
France: Ethique sur L'Etiquette, Pascal Erard, +33-1-437-23737
Sweden : Kampanjen Rena Klader, Kristina Bjorling, +46-8-643-4364
Flanders: Schone Kleren Campagne, Frieda de Koninck, +32-2-246 31
11
French speaking Belgium: Vetements Propres, Carole Crabbe, +32-2-3320110
Austria: Clean Clothes Kampagne, Sonja Edler, 0043-1-3174020-352
Spain: Campana Ropa Limpia, Eduard Cantos, +34-93-441-5335
Italy: CNMS, Francesco Gesauldi, +39-050-826-354
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