New ILO Recommendation on social protection floors

The International Labour Conference adopted on 14 June 2012 the Recommendation no. 202 concerning national floors for social protection by a vote of 452 to 0, with 1 abstention. Social protection floors are nationally defined sets of basic social security guarantees which secure protection aimed at preventing or alleviating poverty, vulnerability and social exclusion. This new labour standard is also very important for EU external action.

News | 19 June 2012

The 101st session of the International Labour Conference (ILC) adopted on 14 June 2012 the Recommendation no. 202 concerning national floors for social protection by an impressive tripartite consensus vote: 452 votes in favour, 0 against, 1 abstention. Social protection floors are nationally defined sets of basic social security guarantees which secure protection aimed at preventing or alleviating poverty, vulnerability and social exclusion. This new international labour standard aims at extending essential health care and basic income security to millions of people.

The social protection committee of the EU has included the social protection floors in its Work Programme 2012. The Recommendation is also very important for EU external action, such as the programming of EU external assistance and the upcoming European Commission communication on promotion social protection through EU development cooperation. At the request of developing countries, the ILC also adopted a Resolution on assisting developing countries through technical cooperation (see report of the committee on the social protection floor p. 108).