Case: Policy coherence in general

18-10-2010 MEP van Dalen asks Commission about child labour and development charter in FTA with India

The Commission is currently conducting negotiations with India on a Free Trade Agreement (FTA). MEP van Dalen asked what measures will be undertaken in order to combat child labour. The European Council of Ministers for Foreign Affairs has also expressed its concerns in relation to child labour in India, stating that more than 200 million children are still working in India. According to van Dalen the Commission has the duty to come up with a proper response for these concerns.

In his second question van Dalen explained that the Indian government articulated not to be interested in adding a development charter to the agreement. The Commission has stated before that such a charter is an important objective of the EU, and a chapter has been added to the FTA with South Korea. Peter van Dalen wants to know if the Commission is going to stick to its guns, and will continue to pursue the inclusion of a development chapter in the agreement. Also he wants to receive an update on the progress being made.

Childrens rights are a priority in the EUs external relations. Education is of the utmost importance for the development of the child. Moreover, there are over 200 million children in India with great potential for Indias development as a country, if they were only given a chance. The EU has dedicated itself to promote development and end poverty worldwide, as the EU is committed to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). There would be a clear incoherence which would have a negative effect on development, if the Commission were to sign a FTA with India, without the inclusion of actions against child labour and a development chapter.

Peter van Dalen (ECR) is recognized as Fair Politician for expressing concerns twice about the negotiations on the FTA with India. Therefore he earns two points in our monitoring system.
 

Monitor fair: ECR(2)

Parliamentary Questions
E-4857/2010
2 July 2010
WRITTEN QUESTION, by Peter van Dalen (ECR)

Subject: Child labour in India


On 14 June 2010 in Luxembourg, the Council of Ministers for Foreign Affairs expressed its concern about the fact that more than 200 million children were still engaged in child labour. The Council reaffirmed its commitment to protect and promote the rights of the child. It also underlined the importance of the GSP + to promote sustainable development and good governance, including the effective implementation of ILO Conventions 138 and 182.
On 10 June 2010 a number of organisations, including the India Committee of the Netherlands, distributed a report and a press release on child labour in India. These state, inter alia: In India, more than half a million children aged under 18 are working in seed production, including for Dutch vegetable seed companies such as Advanta and Bejo Zaden. Around 230 000 of these children are even aged under 14. The children work for between 10 and 12 hours per day and are exposed to toxic pesticides.
The reports also stress that three quarters of the work is done by women (girls) and that in many states the majority of the workers are Dalits (untouchables) and Adivasis (tribal people).
On behalf of the EU, the Commission is currently negotiating a free trade agreement with India.
1. In its political dialogue with India, will the Commission place child labour and exploitation and poor treatment of Dalits and Adivasis on the agenda?
2. What will the Commission do to ensure that European seed companies do not allow child labour and exploitation in their supply chains?
3. Will the Commission do research into child labour in agriculture the sector where nearly 70 % of all child labour is performed worldwide and relations with European businesses, starting with the labour-intensive worldwide seed industry?
4. How will the Commission use the negotiations on the EU India trade agreement to ensure that child labour is finally eliminated in India?
5. Does the Commission have a policy specifically geared to the situation of specific groups who suffer discrimination, such as women (girls) and Dalits, in its contacts with the Indian authorities?

Parliamentary Questions
P-7813/2010
24 September 2010
WRITTEN QUESTION, by Peter van Dalen (ECR)

Subject: Negotiations on the free trade agreement between the EU and India


Negotiations are under way for an EU-India free trade agreement. On 26 March 2009 the European Parliament adopted a resolution which set out its wishes for the forthcoming agreement. The resolution makes express reference to a substantial development chapter in the agreement, which should be subject to the standard dispute mechanism.
Last year the Commission stated, in its answer to questions by Caroline Lucas (Verts/ALE, 13.11.2009), that an ambitious chapter on sustainable development is an important objective of the EU in bilateral trade negotiations; and promotion of the four core labour standards is a key objective. The EU recently concluded a free trade agreement with South Korea which contained such a chapter.
It has become clear, in the light of the visit to India by Parliaments India Delegation in April 2010 and through various contacts, that India is not interested in a development chapter. The Indians are almost unanimous in saying that in no circumstances do they want non-trade issues to be included in the free trade agreement.
In view of this dichotomy, I should like to ask the following questions.
1. In the negotiations, is the Commission still persevering with the request to include a substantial development chapter in the free trade agreement, including mention of the four core labour standards, which also should be subject to the standard dispute mechanism?
2. Will the Commission break off the negotiations if this request is not met from the Indian side?
3. What is the Commission able to report on progress in the negotiations; what stage have they currently reached?