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BackFollowing years of negotiation, the European Parliament has now voted in favour of the Free Trade Agreement of the EU with Columbia. In spite of the still existing human rights violations and violent acts against trade unions. The new Agreement is expected to come into force in 2013.
In the past, non-governmental organisations and trade unions had time and again strongly criticised the Free Trade Agreement of the EU with Columbia and Peru. Columbia is by far the world’s most dangerous country for union members. A representative of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) estimated the number of murdered labour representatives in Columbia since the 1990ies to be about 250 per year.
At the vote in the plenary, only the Greens and the European Left voted against the Free Trade Agreement. Of 189 Social Democrat MEPs, 37 voted against the Agreement, among them the Austrian MEPs Evelyn Regner and Karin Kadenbach. From an Austrian perspective, three non-attached Austrian MEPs also voted against the Agreement; two abstained.
In particular, Social Democrat representatives justified their approval by stating that lengthy negotiations would be able to achieve concessions in respect of human and trade union rights: hence, a dedicated monitoring group shall monitor the implementation of the Agreement – in particular with regard to the demands concerning human and trade union rights. A roadmap shall help to improve workers’ and human rights as well as environmental standards. A Memorandum of Understanding with the International Labour Organisation would also be in place. There would have been a majority for the Agreement even without their yes vote; then, however, without any concessions, was the comment coming from Social Democrat circles.
However, human rights violations in Columbia are still taking place, in spite of all these measures. As Helmut Scholz, a member of the European Left pointed out immediately before the vote, human rights violations still continue: just recently, a journalist had been murdered and an environmental activist had disappeared without trace.
From a workers’ point of view, the approval of this Agreement is a disappointment. Columbia has made no binding comprehensive promises to comply with environmental and human rights standards and trade union rights. Unfortunately, there is no sign of the Agreement being suspended should violations against standards continue.
At the vote in the plenary, only the Greens and the European Left voted against the Free Trade Agreement. Of 189 Social Democrat MEPs, 37 voted against the Agreement, among them the Austrian MEPs Evelyn Regner and Karin Kadenbach. From an Austrian perspective, three non-attached Austrian MEPs also voted against the Agreement; two abstained.
In particular, Social Democrat representatives justified their approval by stating that lengthy negotiations would be able to achieve concessions in respect of human and trade union rights: hence, a dedicated monitoring group shall monitor the implementation of the Agreement – in particular with regard to the demands concerning human and trade union rights. A roadmap shall help to improve workers’ and human rights as well as environmental standards. A Memorandum of Understanding with the International Labour Organisation would also be in place. There would have been a majority for the Agreement even without their yes vote; then, however, without any concessions, was the comment coming from Social Democrat circles.
However, human rights violations in Columbia are still taking place, in spite of all these measures. As Helmut Scholz, a member of the European Left pointed out immediately before the vote, human rights violations still continue: just recently, a journalist had been murdered and an environmental activist had disappeared without trace.
From a workers’ point of view, the approval of this Agreement is a disappointment. Columbia has made no binding comprehensive promises to comply with environmental and human rights standards and trade union rights. Unfortunately, there is no sign of the Agreement being suspended should violations against standards continue.