‘Promoting Human and Labour Rights through GSP+’

1. ‘Promoting Human and Labour Rights through GSP+’ This project is funded by the European Union Presented By: Ciaran O‘Reilly • Date: 08.08.2019

2. DRIWHO WE ARE An international, not-for-profit organisation based in Berlin, free of any political, religious, partisan, or national affiliation. DRI is both a think tank, seeking solutions to complex political transitions, and a project partner to national decision-makers and citizens who want to drive change in their countries.

3. DRIWHAT WE DO • We focus on key policy areas where the state is accountable to its citizens: constitutions, elections, and parliaments. • We work closely with civil society, which has a unique mandate to provide the nexus between the state and organised public interests. • Where we currently operate: Myanmar, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Ukraine, Georgia, Lebanon, Libya, Tunisia, and with GSP+, a multi-country project including Armenia, Bolivia, Capo Verde, the Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, Pakistan, Paraguay, the Philippines and Sri Lanka

4. The European Union and the GSP+ Scheme

5. WHAT IS GSP? • The EU's Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP) helps developing countries by reducing tariffs for their goods when entering the EU market. This makes it easier for them to export their products to the European Union. • It consists of the three arrangements: • Standard GSP • GSP+ • Everything But Arms (EBA) • Through the additional export revenue, the GSP fosters growth in their income and supports economic growth and job creation.

6. GSP+: A Special Incentive Arrangement for Sustainable Development and Good Governance • The GSP+ allows eligible vulnerable countries to pay no duties on some exports to the European Union in return for improving the implementation of 27 international conventionson human and labour rights, environmental protection, and good governance. • It is a unilateral agreement, on a voluntary basis. • Current countries benefiting from GSP+ are: Armenia, Bolivia, Cabo Verde, Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, Pakistan, the Philippines and Sri Lanka.

7. GSP+: A Special Incentive Arrangement for Sustainable DevelopmentandGood Governance • Grants full removal of EU customs tariffs on over 66% of product tariff lines. • GSP+ helps countries manage the new responsibilities that come from ratifying and implementing 27 core international conventions on human and labour rights, environmental protection and good governance • The EU can withdraw GSP+ preferences in some exceptional circumstances, notably serious and systematic violation of fundamental human rights and labour rights conventions.

8. Goals of the GSP+ Scheme • Increased economic growth and economic diversification • Safeguard for the production and supply of products to the European market • Increased market for domestic industry • Job growth and poverty reduction • Increased tax revenues for participating countries, including revenue which can be used for implementing obligations under the conventions • Improved human and labour rights situations, better protected environment and improved governance

9. GSP+ Eligibility • Conditions: To be eligible for GSP+, the country must lodge an application (voluntary) and fulfil the Standard GSP conditions plus two additional criteria: • Standard GSP conditions: • Must be low or lower-middle income country • Must not be it benefitting from another type of special trade access to the EU granting the same tariff preferences as the scheme, or better • 1. Vulnerability Criteria – this relates to a specific % import share and diversity of products covered by GSP+

10. GSP+ Eligibility • 2. Sustainable development criteria • The country must have ratified the 27 GSP+ relevant international conventions on human and labour rights, environmental protection and good governance. • Countries must ensure effective implementation rather than impeccable implementation (which implies achieved standards of the conventions) from the outset. • The country must not have formulated reservations which are prohibited by these conventions. • The monitoring bodies under those conventions must not have identified any serious failure to effectively implement them. • If the country meets all these criteria, the EU adds it to the list of GSP+ countries

11. Three Elements Usually Overlooked • 1. The EU is not the only international actor that promotes these kinds of trade arrangements, nor the only body monitoring compliance with the conventions. • 2. In the EU context, the GSP is not an isolated initiative. It is based on the principles stated in the Lisbon Treaty, and coherent with other related documents such as the Trade for All policy, and the EU Strategic Framework for Human Rights and Democracy. • 3. Exports must also still abide by standard EU rules and regulations with regard to quality, health and safety, packaging etc.

12. What are DRI and its Partners Doing?

13. DRI and the GSP+ Scheme

14. Promoting Human and Labour Rights through GSP+ • General objective of the project: funded by the EU, so that civil society and social partners become effective advocates and drivers of change ensuring that European Union (EU) GSP+ beneficiary countries meet their commitments to effectively implement core international conventions.

15. The 15 Conventionsof the Project • 1. Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (1948) • 2. International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination(1965) • 3. International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966) • 4. International Covenant on Economic Social and Cultural Rights (1966) • 5. Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (1979) • 6. Convention Against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (1984) • 7. Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) • 8. Convention concerning Forced or Compulsory Labour, No 29 (1930) • 9. Convention concerning Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise, No 87 (1948) • 10. Convention concerning the Application of the Principles of the Right to Organise and to Bargain Collectively, No 98 (1949) • 11. Convention concerning Equal Remuneration of Men and Women Workers for Work of Equal Value, No 100 (1951) • 12. Convention concerning the Abolition of Forced Labour, No 105 (1957) • 13. Convention concerning Discrimination in Respect of Employment and Occupation, No 111 (1958) • 14. Convention concerning Minimum Age for Admission to Employment, No 138 (1973) • 15. Convention concerning the Prohibition and Immediate Action for the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour, No 182 (1999)

16. Main Activities • Raising Awareness • Capacity Building • Convening Stakeholders • Monitoring and Reporting • Global Analysis • Within these broad activity areas, each partner organization or DRI country office focuses on the key human and labour rights in its country, and through actions which are best suited to the social, political and cultural context.

17. Target Groups • Civil society, including CSOs , think tanks and academia dealing with human rights, labour rights and trade, churches and trade unions • Private sector, including chambers of commerce, producers and trade unions benefiting from GSP+ or interested in exporting under GSP+ • Public sector, including the lead ministry for GSP+, line ministries affected by the conventions, national human rights institutions, and other relevant institutions at the local and national level • Media • Others

18. Intended Results • Increased understanding among the general public, CSOs, the business community, local authorities and other social partners of the advantages and conditions of the GSP+ scheme • Increased demand, in both urban and rural areas, for state compliance with human rights and labour conventions related to GSP+ • Enhanced capacity for, and actual outputs of, monitoringthrough the creation/reinforcement of domestic platforms or networks which promote and protect human and labour rights

19. Monitoring Compliance with the Conventions

20. Monitoring Compliance with the Conventions GSP+ beneficiary countries are expected to show ownership and political commitment by continuously improving their compliance with the Conventions over time, despite any shortcomings identified. They must maintain their ratification, not violate the conventions in a serious and systematic manner and demonstrate progress towards greater compliance with them over time. Civil Society and other Social Partners are expected to play a role by generally raising awareness of GSP+, monitoring the state’s compliance, and submitting Alternative Reports.

21. Monitoring Compliance with the Conventions The business community can also play its part in improving human and labour rights (as well as environmental protection and good governance) within their own industries, but also by working with civil society, the government and others, to ensure compliance with all Conventions, benefitting themselves and the economy in the process * The next report – on all nine countries - by the Commission and the European External Action Service will be published in January 2020 and discussed during the INTA Committee of the European Parliament and the Council GSP Working Party in February 2020

22. Other Countries in the Project • Armenia… Eurasia Partnership Foundation: a membership organisation focused on the Convention for the Rights of the Child (CRC) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. • Cabo Verde… CNDHC: the country’s national human rights commission, focusing on public awareness, human rights education and monitoring. • Kyrgyzstan… Coalition for Democracy and Civil Society: focusing on gender equality in the workplace and child labour. Has conducted a national survey on GSP+ and will work closely with other NGOs to collect data on the issues. • Mongolia… Global International Center: focusing on the safety of journalists and the rights to information and freedom of expression. Worked with the Mongolian Bar Association and Media Council of Mongolia. Finished in May 2019.

23. Other Countries in the Project • Pakistan… DRI Country Office: focusing on building the capacity of national and provincial state bodies which are responsible for human rights, and bringing them together with civil society. • Paraguay… CADEP: a research-oriented organization, focusing on Paraguay’s exit from GSP+ and its effect on the economy and human and labour rights. • Philippines… PAHRA: A research and advocacy organization, focusing on labour rights issues as well as extrajudicial killings. Working with workers and trade unions around the country. • Sri Lanka… DRI Country Office: focusing on awareness-raising, training civil society on monitoring, and convening stakeholders. Work has focused on building a national network of community-based human rights advocates.

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