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The acp-eu-trade.org newsletter -- No. 10/May 2007
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Focus On...
A Trade Union Guide to the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs)
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By Gabrielle Clotuche
European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) Senior Expert
Maison syndicale internationale (ITUH)
Boulevard du Roi Albert II, 5
B-1210 Bruxelles
Belgique
Tél : +32 (0)2 224 04 11
Fax : +32 (0)2 224 04 54
Website : http://www.etuc.org
E-mail : etuc@etuc.org
The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), with the support of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), has presented a trade union guide as part of a project aimed at "boosting the capabilities of trade union organisations in the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) states in the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs)". The project was implemented in cooperation with the Confederation of Workers' Unions of Togo (Confédération syndicale des travailleurs du Togo, CSTT), on behalf of all trade union organisations in the ACP states. The guide, together with its accompanying dossier, constitutes a resource for the action of trade union organisations.
Why such a guide and why now?
The Cotonou Agreement sets three objectives:
- Reduction/eradication of poverty
- Sustainable development
- Gradual integration into the world economy
It sets out three instruments for achieving these objectives: political dialogue, trade and development. The Cotonou Agreement also represents a major step forward for civil society because it recognises the role of non-state actors in the development process.
Trade union organisations are explicitly mentioned in the Cotonou Agreement (Article 6). It provides for their participation in the definition of programmes and projects, their consultation and participation in political dialogue and support for strengthening their capabilities.
Today, however, that is a far cry from reality.
Trade union organisations in the ACP countries, after six years of implementation of the Cotonou Agreement, cannot but observe that there is a huge gap between discourse and reality and that the combat ahead will not be easy.
Trade union participation is often non-existent and, where it does exist, unions' demands are ignored. Two countries are an exception to this rule: Barbados and Ghana.
In the face of this situation, as the negotiation of the Economic Partnership Agreements provided for by the Cotonou Agreement starts shaping up, the European and international trade union movement is standing alongside organisations from the ACP states. With them, it sought and obtained funds from the Eighth EDF for "boosting the capabilities of trade union organisations from the ACP states in the EPAs".
The result of the project implemented jointly with the aid of eight ACP experts close to the trade union movement, under the leadership of Professor F. Lapeyre (UCL) and two of his assistants, is presented in this publication: "Trade Union Guide to the Economic Partnership Agreements in the ACP States".
The publication is double, including the guide proper as well as a trade union dossier that supplements it.
The guide presents:
- A trade union view of EU-ACP relations
- A trade union position on the Cotonou Agreement
- A trade union position on the EPAs being negotiated
- An assessment of the needs of and obstacles to the trade union movement in the ACP states
- Trade union proposals for the EPAs
- A trade union road map
The dossier is composed of nine fact sheets presenting the different stakes for trade union organisations of the new institutional framework put in place by the Cotonou Agreement. It emphasizes the risks as well as the opportunities involved.
Two seminars were held in the course of the project's implementation.
The first brought together the ACP experts and Professor Lapeyre. Its aim was to compare the national reports drawn up by the experts and to summarize their findings, trade unions' expectations and their proposals.
The second, held towards the end of the project, brought together the experts and some 40 leaders of ACP trade unions to provide input to the rough outlines of the guide, as a way of ensuring that it reflects accurately the trade union point of view.
It emerges from this guide that the priority objective for the people of the ACP states is to give each EPA a real social dimension.
That dimension must materialize in guaranteed social rights, the promotion of decent employment and social protection, and respect for gender equality.
Recognition of this approach by Commissioners Mandelson ad Michel is noted in an exchange of letters with the ETUC and ITUC at the time of the project's start-up.
This recognition must nevertheless find expression in a general framework agreement negotiated with the European and ACP institutions, with the social dimension being implemented subsequently through a negotiation, under the auspices of the European and ACP public powers, between economic operators at regional level.
Task forces are negotiating today in the regions. They are consulting civil society, which, for its part, must organise and become structured at regional level.
The EU must provide financial support for this civil society initiative (foreseen in the Cotonou Agreement).
The instrument that should be relied on in this context is well known by European trade union organisations, namely, social dialogue.
Structures need to be put in place in the ACP regions: one social dialogue committee per negotiating region, with a clear mandate of providing a general framework for the EPAs.
The guide is a tool for use by the ACP trade union organisations, meant to help them defend themselves in this framework.
The significant structural reforms of the working and living conditions of the ACP populations that will inevitably result from the EPAs demand strong action by union organisations. Their role is paramount.
The Economic Partnership Agreements must abide by compulsory criteria for the promotion of decent employment, the strengthening of social and economic rights, and respect for workers' rights.
Only in that way will the ACP states be in a position to eradicate poverty and make a success of their integration into the developed world.
Useful links:
* ETUC's website: http://www.etuc.org
*Guide and Trade Union Dossier for Boosting the Capabilities of ACP Trade Unions in the Economic Partnership Agreements
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Copyright: ECDPM 2007