ILO addresses strategies to integrate trade and promote decent work in Latin America and the Caribbean

ILO NEWS (LIMA) - The International Labour Organization (ILO) organized an event that brought together international labour and trade policy specialists to discuss the findings of the ILO's recent two-volume publication on Trade Integration and Decent Work.

Ana Moreira, ILO Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, said in her opening remarks: "International trade is an engine of economic growth and development, as it has a significant impact on workers in the region whose livelihoods depend on trade-oriented industries. Despite generating employment opportunities, the benefits of trade have not been evenly distributed. It is essential that trade policies are integrated with effective labour policies to ensure decent work and inclusive benefits across the region.

The event, moderated by Tulio Cravo, Public Policy and Productivity Specialist at the ILO Office for Latin America and the Caribbean, was divided into two sessions, allowing for an in-depth and detailed discussion on the various aspects that relate trade to labour conditions in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The first session analysed the impact of trade and trade policies on decent work from an economic perspective. Using various methodologies and a wide range of indicators, the relationship between trade and decent work was assessed, presenting concrete examples of the effects in different countries around the world and in the region.

The second session focused on how trade and investment instruments address labour market issues. Experts examined labour provisions in trade agreements, laws prohibiting certain imports, unilateral trade agreements and due diligence practices, highlighting how these instruments can be used to promote decent work in supply chains.

The first two presentations were given by Pelin Sekerler Richiardi and Franz Ebert from the ILO's Research Department in Geneva, who conducted the research together with Marva Corley, head of the ILO's Globalization Unit and a wide network of researchers on the topic.

There is an urgent need to ensure that trade activities guarantee decent working conditions for workers, as well as to collect national data and information to enable the development of country-specific policies.

Marva Corley, head of the ILO Globalization Unit

Experts stressed the need for trade instruments complemented by labour policies to ensure that trade has an impact on decent work indicators. They emphasised that the participation of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in trade can improve working conditions, although results vary according to the demographic characteristics of workers.

Trade instruments have a significant impact on labour conditions, especially if they are aligned with the work of national actors. The ILO plays a crucial role in promoting inclusive trade through complementary labour market policies, such as skills development and support for formalisation. The ILO's Skills for Trade and Economic Diversification (STED) programme is an example of how the necessary skills are strengthened in a number of countries.

José E. Durán Lima, head of the Regional Integration Unit of ECLAC's International Trade and Integration Division, stressed that the use of foreign trade instruments must be accompanied by complementary labour policies so that decent employment is promoted, increasing formality and greater participation of young people in the labour force. In addition, he discussed possible impacts of potential import restrictions on the labour market.

Jacqueline Álvarez, Vice-President of the Labour Commission of the Confederation of Industrial Chambers of the United Mexican States (CONCAMIN), and Juan Martinez, Political Coordinator of the Trade Union Confederation of the Americas (TUCA), also participated.