Trade and Decent Work Survey

International trade profoundly influences labour markets, shaping the livelihoods of hundreds of millions of workers. It is essential to ensure that workers' rights and decent work remain central to global trade. The International Labour Organization (ILO) plays a key role in these global discussions, bringing together representatives of governments, employers and workers from its 187 Member States.

In 2024, with support from the Government of Flanders, Belgium, the ILO introduced a new project: Trade and Investment Arrangements: Implementation and Stakeholder Engagement for Promoting Decent Work (IMPLEMENT). The project aims to contribute to the strengthening of trade that benefits all, through increased dialogue and knowledge among key stakeholders.

In this context, the Research Department is conducting a survey to gather insights from governments, employers’ and workers’ representatives, as well as other civil society representatives. The survey aims to:

• Gather participants’ views on how trade affects workers and enterprises in different countries and evaluate the use of labour provisions in trade agreements.
• Understand how tripartite constituents are engaged in trade and labour issues at national and regional levels.
• Identify the resources and support needed to improve the effectiveness of labour provisions in trade agreements.

Your participation is crucial to this endeavour. Join the conversation to help shape policies that promote fair and inclusive trade.

Labour provisions:

• any principle or standard or rule (including references to international labour standards), which addresses labour relations, minimum working conditions, terms of employment, and/or other labour issues;
• any framework to promote cooperation and/or compliance with standards, through activities, dialogue and/or monitoring of labour issues; and/or
• any mechanism to ensure compliance with national labour law and standards set out in the trade agreement, such as through the settlement of labour-related disputes.