Motion for a resolution | Doc. 13130 | 01 February 2013

Exploitation of the workforce of poor countries

Signatories: Mr João Bosco MOTA AMARAL, Portugal, EPP/CD ; Mr Jean-Marie BOCKEL, France, EPP/CD ; Ms Rossana BOLDI, Italy, EDG ; Ms Ismeta DERVOZ, Bosnia and Herzegovina, EPP/CD ; Mr Renato FARINA, Italy, EPP/CD ; Mr Hans FRANKEN, Netherlands, EPP/CD ; Mr Valeriu GHILETCHI, Republic of Moldova, EPP/CD ; Ms Dzhema GROZDANOVA, Bulgaria, EPP/CD ; Ms Elvira KOVÁCS, Serbia, EPP/CD ; Ms Stella KYRIAKIDES, Cyprus, EPP/CD ; Mr Gebhard NEGELE, Liechtenstein, EPP/CD ; Mr Fritz NEUGEBAUER, Austria, EPP/CD ; Ms Eva PARERA, Spain, EPP/CD ; Ms Carmen QUINTANILLA, Spain, EPP/CD ; Mr Giacomo STUCCHI, Italy, EDG ; Mr Vilmos SZABÓ, Hungary, SOC ; Mr Egidijus VAREIKIS, Lithuania, EPP/CD ; Mr Luigi VITALI, Italy, EPP/CD ; Mr Luca VOLONTÈ, Italy, EPP/CD ; Ms Gisela WURM, Austria, SOC

This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only those who have signed it.

The recent disaster in Dhaka, Bangladesh — where more than 100 people, most of them young girls, working in conditions close to slavery, lost their lives in the fire in an apparel industrial facility, which pays 10 to 30 times less than in China — raised again the attention of public opinion to the shameful social dumping on which low prices and high profits in developed countries are partially based.

The Council of Europe, as a beacon in what concerns human rights, must raise its voice against the exploitation of the workforce of poor countries with scandalously low wages, proposing a ban on the import into Europe of any goods made in those conditions, especially if young persons or children are involved. Successful initiatives of fair trade in agriculture goods should be extended to manufactured products.

The rules of free market economy should not be put in jeopardy by the greed of multinational companies and their executives.

Globalisation needs rules, otherwise it is bringing devastation to world economy.

Neo-liberal ideology must be criticised in the name of ethics and human rights.

The Parliamentary Assembly should study the impact of the exploitation of young people and children labour force of poor countries in the European market and propose measures to protect our countries and our citizens against those shameful situations.