The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), the Clean Clothes Campaign (CCC), and the HEC-NYU EU Public Interest Clinic have filed a formal complaint against the European Union (EU) for failing to adhere to human rights obligations regarding trade policies towards Bangladesh.
Bangladesh benefits from preferential tariffs on its exports to Europe under the EU’s Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP).
But the country has committed serious and systematic violations of fundamental workers’ rights. Additionally, its labour laws create significant obstacles to the exercise of the right to freedom of association, to organise and to bargain collectively.
Further, the government has also not effectively enforced even these flawed laws, and workers complaints to authorities are routinely ignored.
Despite all this, EU has not launched a formal investigation concerning Bangladesh's GSP status. Furthermore, the commission has failed to create a transparent and objective process for deciding when an investigation should be launched, making it impossible for NGOs or others to participate.
