Belgium's National Labour Council adopts 2024 national action plan for the promotion of the ILO MNE Declaration

Brussels, Belgium (ILO NEWS) - In a significant move towards promoting responsible business practices, Belgium's National Labour Council has adopted its 2024 national action plan for the promotion of the ILO Tripartite Declaration of Principles concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy (MNE Declaration). The Council, a central platform for dialogue among social partners in Belgium and a key player in shaping social and labour policy, plays a crucial role in leading the promotion and application of the MNE Declaration.

The 2024 national action plan builds on the achievements of action plans developed since 2021, particularly drawing from a capacity building event and roundtable organized by the Labour Council in 2023. This event was held in collaboration with the ILO Office for the EU and the Benelux countries and with technical support provided by the Multinational Enterprises and Responsible Business Conduct Unit (MULTI/RBC) and ITC-ILO . The action plan also benefited from interactions with representatives from Belgian national contact point and actors in the field of development cooperation.

The 2024 action plan continues to prioritize advocacy and awareness-raising on the ILO MNE Declaration with the aim of further harnessing and advancing coherence, synergies, and partnerships among the different actors in Belgium with a particular mandate related to responsible business conduct and business and human rights.

The 2024 action plan introduces several strategic actions to further promote the MNE Declaration:

• Action 1. Mapping key players in the application of the MNE Declaration to enhance responsible business conduct (RBC) related policy coherence;
• Action 2. Mobilising social partners to raise awareness amongst workers and companies;
• Action 3. Promoting information on the MNE Declaration through the dedicated online website (thematic dossier);
• Action 4. Enhance linkages between OECD and ILO instruments through the National Contact Point (NCP) for RBC;
• Action 5. Expanding the “Due Diligence” discussion to the social sector through emphasising the labour dimension of human rights due diligence (HRDD);
• Action 6. Integrating the Council consultation into an evaluation reporting on the promotion and application of the MNE Declaration;
• Action 7. Evaluating the consultation process of the Belgian national action plan 2.0 “Business and human rights”.

The actions outlined for 2024 aim to encourage enterprises to make a positive contribution to economic and social progress and solidify Belgium's commitment to creating a sustainable and inclusive economic environment that respects labour rights and promotes social dialogue.

The ongoing collaboration with the national contact point and social partners is crucial to foster coordinated efforts for the promotion of the MNE Declaration. It also demonstrates Belgium’s continued commitment to aligning with international standards for responsible business conduct for the realization of decent work.