Uzbekistan
ILO addresses business conference on GSP+ and the opportunities in the Uzbek textile sector
At a business conference for textile companies from Uzbekistan, the ILO welcomed the progress achieved by the tripartite constituents and reflected on the continued work of the ILO and the Uzbek constituents.
1 September 2022
At an international conference for textile companies from Uzbekistan and Europe organized by Amfori and GIZ, ILO-Brussels discussed the progress achieved regarding the application of the ILO core labour standards, and the opportunities that lay ahead.
“Thanks to the tremendous efforts and personal involvement of each tripartite Uzbek constituent, the cooperation between Uzbekistan and the ILO has reached a new level,” said Lieve Verboven, Director ILO Office for the European Union and the Benelux countries.
The ILO has been monitoring the cotton harvest since 2015 under an agreement with the World Bank, with financial support from the European Union and the governments of Germany, Switzerland and the USA.
Today, Uzbekistan has achieved its goal to eradicate both systemic child labour and forced labour in the cotton sector. All provinces and districts had very few or no forced labour cases in 2021. As in previous years, there were only isolated cases of minors below the legal working age picking cotton. In 2021, wages had increased compared to the previous harvest, and for the first time, a minimum wage was established through tripartite consultation.
This is a remarkable achievement, which has been made possible through dialogue, cooperation and trust among all Uzbek partners, civil society, UN organizations and donor countries.
Last year, the EU has granted GSP+ status to Uzbekistan and started applying preferential tariffs for products imported from the country under this arrangement.
Textile companies have an important role to ensure compliance with national legislation prohibiting forced labour, and should indeed adopt the policies and practices aimed at accelerating progress towards the end of child labour and forced labour.
“In general, we encourage you to promote decent work in your operations and supply chains, taking into account the ILO Declaration of Principles concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy, and to be proactive on the upcoming EU Directive on corporate due diligence,” said the Director. This can be done through improving working and living conditions, especially in textile cluster areas.
She underscored the need for continued commitment from government officials, workers’ and employers’ representatives, the private sector and international community, to ensure progress towards the end of child labour and forced labour, in all sectors.
The ILO will continue to provide broad support to its partners in Uzbekistan to achieve decent work and social justice, in a spirit of trust and mutual respect, she concluded.
“Thanks to the tremendous efforts and personal involvement of each tripartite Uzbek constituent, the cooperation between Uzbekistan and the ILO has reached a new level,” said Lieve Verboven, Director ILO Office for the European Union and the Benelux countries.
The ILO has been monitoring the cotton harvest since 2015 under an agreement with the World Bank, with financial support from the European Union and the governments of Germany, Switzerland and the USA.
Today, Uzbekistan has achieved its goal to eradicate both systemic child labour and forced labour in the cotton sector. All provinces and districts had very few or no forced labour cases in 2021. As in previous years, there were only isolated cases of minors below the legal working age picking cotton. In 2021, wages had increased compared to the previous harvest, and for the first time, a minimum wage was established through tripartite consultation.
This is a remarkable achievement, which has been made possible through dialogue, cooperation and trust among all Uzbek partners, civil society, UN organizations and donor countries.
Last year, the EU has granted GSP+ status to Uzbekistan and started applying preferential tariffs for products imported from the country under this arrangement.
Textile companies have an important role to ensure compliance with national legislation prohibiting forced labour, and should indeed adopt the policies and practices aimed at accelerating progress towards the end of child labour and forced labour.
“In general, we encourage you to promote decent work in your operations and supply chains, taking into account the ILO Declaration of Principles concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy, and to be proactive on the upcoming EU Directive on corporate due diligence,” said the Director. This can be done through improving working and living conditions, especially in textile cluster areas.
She underscored the need for continued commitment from government officials, workers’ and employers’ representatives, the private sector and international community, to ensure progress towards the end of child labour and forced labour, in all sectors.
The ILO will continue to provide broad support to its partners in Uzbekistan to achieve decent work and social justice, in a spirit of trust and mutual respect, she concluded.