Commissioner Marianne Thyssen, in charge of Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility, took active part in the discussions at the 10th European Regional meeting of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) on 2 October in Istanbul.

The Commissioner supported the ILO initiative on the future of work, which aims at shaping global responses to the changing world of work. This is very much in line with the European Commission proposal on the European Pillar of Social Rights, a political commitment to deliver on a more social and a fairer Europe. Ms Thyssen insisted that any reflection on the future of work has to take into account effective implementation of fundamental rights and social dialogue.

She also delivered the key note address at the ILO informal ministerial meeting on fair and effective access to labour markets for migrants and refugees. While underlying the need for a safe, orderly and regular migration, she highlighted the measures taken by the EU to promote migrant and refugees’ integration and the active EU engagement with ILO and UN on this. She underlined that “well integrated migrants can contribute to the growth and competitiveness of our businesses and economies”.

Commissioner Thyssen also raised the EU’s concerns that most trade unions decided not to participate in the ILO European Regional meeting hosted by Turkey, considering the lack of progress in addressing the trade union demands to Turkey as regards violations of the freedom of association, non-discrimination in employment and need for remedy for the more than 120,000 suspended or dismissed workers since the state of emergency in July 2016.

Ms Thyssen stated that there can be no future for decent work without respect, in law and practice, for fundamental rights at work and the rule of law as enshrined in the ILO conventions and the European Human Rights Convention. She called for a peaceful and productive dialogue to take place, and hoped that Turkey will reverse the current trend with positive and tangible developments.