European Commission Brussels, 29 September 2015Trade 34/2015 Note for te attention of te Trade !oli"# CommitteeSub$e"t% TT&! ' (raft E) te*tual proposal for a Capter on Trade and Sustainable (e+elopment ri-in% Commission, (. Trade, )nit E1 and )nit (1BECT&E% or dis"ussion 6E786S%
The enclosed document contains a draft EU textual proposal for a Chapter on Trade andSustainable Development in the Transatlantic Trade and Investment
Section I – Trade and Sustainable Development – Overarching principles
Article 1Context
1. The Parties reaffirm their commitment to pursue sustainable development, thedimensions of hich ! economic development, social development and environmentalprotection ! are inter"dependent and mutuall# reinforcin$, and are committed to promotethe development of international trade in such a a# so as to contribute to thisoverarchin$ ob%ective. &. The Parties recall the 'io Declaration and the ($enda &1 on Environment andDevelopment of 1))&, the I*+ Declaration on undamental Principles and 'i$hts at -orof 1))/ and its ollo"up, the 0ohannesbur$ Plan of Implementation on SustainableDevelopment of &&, the 2inisterial Declaration of the U3 Economic and SocialCouncil on ull Emplo#ment and Decent -or of &4, the I*+ Declaration on Social0ustice for a air 5lobalisation of &/, and the +utcome Document of the U3Conference on Sustainable Development of &1& entitled 6The uture -e -ant7, and theoutcome of the U3 Summit on Sustainable Development of &18 entitled 6Transformin$+ur -orld9 the &: ($enda for Sustainable Development7.
:. The Parties underline the benefit of considerin$ trade"related labour
and environmentalissues as part of a $lobal approach to trade and sustainable development.
Article2Objectives
Throu$h this chapter, the Parties aim to9 a; stren$then the contribution of this ($reement to sustainable development< b; enhance mutual supportiveness amon$ each Part#=s labour, environmental and tradepolicies and measures< c; uphold the Parties= environmental and labour protection ob%ectives in a context of moreliberalised, open and transparent trade and investment relations< d; formulate and implement policies that contribute to the achievement of sustainabledevelopment $oals<e; promote dialo$ue and cooperation amon$ the Parties on environmental and labourmatters of relevance in a trade context, includin$ ith re$ard to third countries< f; encoura$e businesses, social partners, environmental $roups and other civil societ#or$anisations as ell as citi>ens to develop and implement practices that contribute to theachievement of sustainable development $oals< $; promote public consultation and participation in the discussion of sustainabledevelopment issues arisin$ under this ($reement.
Article 3 Right to regulate and levels of protection
1. The Parties reco$nise the ri$ht of each Part# to determine its sustainable developmentpolicies and priorities, to set and re$ulate its levels of domestic labour and environmentalprotection, and to adopt or modif# relevant policies and las accordin$l#. The ri$ht tore$ulate shall be exerted in a manner not inconsistent ith the international labourstandards and a$reements referred to in (rticle ?
[Multilateral labour standards andagreements
and the environmental a$reements referred to in (rticle ?
[Multilateralenvironmental governance and agreements
. &. Each Part# shall ensure that its domestic policies and las provide for and encoura$ehi$h levels of protection in the labour and environmental areas and shall strive to continueto improve those policies and las and their underl#in$ levels of protection.
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-hen labour is referred to in this chapter, it includes the issues relevant to the strate$ic ob%ectives ofthe I*+, throu$h hich the Decent -or ($enda is expressed, as a$reed on in the I*+ &/ Declaration on Social 0ustice for a air 5lobalisation9 emplo#ment promotion, social protection, socialdialo$ue, fundamental principles and ri$hts at or.
Section II – Trade and Sustainable Development – Labour aspects
Article ! Multilateral labour standards and agreements
1. The Parties reco$nise the value of $lobal rules and a$reements on labour matters asfundamental instruments to promote and achieve decent or for all and stress the need toenhance the mutual supportiveness beteen trade and labour policies and rules.(ccordin$l#, the# a$ree to promote the development of their trade and investmentrelations in a manner conducive to the realisation of the Decent -or ($enda, asexpressed throu$h the International *abour +r$anisation @I*+; &/ Declaration onSocial 0ustice for a air 5lobalisation, in its four strate$ic ob%ectives9 a;emplo#ment promotion, b;social protection, c;social dialo$ue, d;fundamental principles and ri$hts at or, and the cross"cuttin$ issues of $ender eAualit# and non"discrimination. &. In accordance ith the obli$ations of all I*+ members and the I*+ Declaration onundamental Principles and 'i$hts to -or, adopted b# the International *abourConference at its /4
th
Session in 1))/ and its ollo"Up, each Part# shall9 a;Ensure that its las and practices respect, promote, and realise ithin an inte$ratedstrate$#, in its hole territor# and for all, the internationall# reco$nised core labourstandards, hich are the sub%ect of the fundamental I*+ Conventions, namel#9 i;the freedom of association and the effective reco$nition of the ri$ht tocollective bar$ainin$< ii;the elimination of all forms of forced or compulsor# labour< iii;the effective abolition of child labour
< and iv;the elimination of discrimination in respect of emplo#ment and occupation<b;in this context, continue to mae sustained efforts toards ratif#in$, to the extentthat it has not #et done so, the fundamental I*+ Conventions and their Protocols,and re$ularl# exchan$e information on its respective situation and advancementsas re$ards the ratification of these as ell as of priorit# and other I*+ Conventionsthat ae classified up to date b# the I*+ and their Protocols. :. urthermore, in accordance ith the I*+ Decent -or ($enda, as expressed in the I*+Declaration on Social 0ustice for a air 5lobalisation of &/, and its other internationalcommitments, each Part# shall ensure to protect9 c;health and safet# at or, includin$ throu$h relevant policies, s#stems andpro$rammes, the fosterin$ and promotion of a preventative safet# and healthculture and the adoption of ris"based and precautionar# approaches<
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It is understood that this includes a prohibition on the orst forms of child labour, in accordance ith I*+ Convention 1/&.
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