The European Union is committed to shaping the global agenda on decent work  in close cooperation with international organisations, third countries, social partners and civil society by:

• promoting sustainable social and economic development beyond the EU's borders in line with EU values, the European Commission’s Communication on Decent Work Worldwide, the European Pillar of Social Rights and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals;
• fostering fair globalisation including through the promotion of international labour standards and the inclusion of labour provisions in EU trade arrangements and their follow-up;
• helping prepare candidate countries and potential candidates for EU membership;
• promoting high social and employment standards in its neighbourhood and through development cooperation.

The European Commission works to ensure that employment and social aspects are taken into account in the EU's external policies as well as through the external dimension of its internal policies.

This includes legislative initiatives such as the proposed Directive on Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence and the proposal for a Regulation on prohibiting products made with forced labour on the Union market.

Cooperation with international organisations and forums

The European Union works with the ILO, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the United Nations (UN) as well as with G7, G20 and other international organisations and forums to:

• promote decent work for all
• promote the social dimension of globalisation
• implement the external dimension of European policies

ILO

The EU has developed a long-standing, strategic relationship with the International Labour Organisation (ILO).

Our cooperation promotes decent work and the 2030 agenda for sustainable development. EU-ILO cooperation focuses on promoting fundamental principles and rights at work, including in trade, and on other social policy areas.

In February 2024, the European Commission joined, on behalf of the EU, the ILO Global Coalition on Social Justice.

The EU carries out joint projects with the ILO and contributes to its work, together with EU Member States, in particular through EU statements.

OECD

In its work with the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the EU supports the promotion and implementation of international standards on responsible business conduct to facilitate business’ contribution to decent work.

The EU finances OECD research, including on fostering due diligence for responsible business conduct in global supply chains, and will continue to promote the coverage of decent work in OECD.

DG EMPL participates in negotiations on OECD legal instruments in the Employment, Labour and Social Affairs Committee, most recently helping develop the 2022 Recommendation on Creating Better Opportunities for Young People.

Council of Europe

The EU and the Council of Europe have a longstanding cooperation in promoting labour rights. The EU currently provides financial support for joint programmes with the Council of Europe.

This includes funding courses on Human Rights Education for Legal Professionals, including in relation to social rights; and promoting the inclusion of Roma community at local level across Europe.  

G7

The EU is fully involved in the G7 (Group of Seven), an intergovernmental political and economic forum consisting of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States, with the European Union as  a "non-enumerated member".

The first formal meeting of G7 labour and employment ministers (together with development policy ministers) took place in 2015 under the German G7 Presidency.

G7 initiatives in employment and social affairs include:

• Ministerial meetings and their preparation and follow-up commitments the Employment Working Group at technical level, where the European Commission prepares the EU’s participation and contributions
• Vision Zero Fund, to help improve decent work and occupational safety and health in global supply chains, for which the Commission provides financial support

G20

The EU is a full member of G20 (Group of Twenty), an intergovernmental forum counting 19 sovereign countries as well as the European Union (EU) and the African Union (AU).

G20 employment ministers came together for the first time in 2010 in Washington D.C. and have held yearly meetings ever since.

G20 initiatives in social affairs include:

• the G20 female participation target  to improve women’s participation in the labour force
•  the youth target (“Antalya target”) to reduce the share of at-risk youth

Year-long discussions between senior officials and in working groups also take place under the Employment Working Group (EWG), where DG EMPL represents the EU. The EWG follows up on the implementation of its members’ G20 Employment Plans, including the EU's one.

Enlargement

The EU aims to improve the social dimension in the ten  candidate countries and potential candidates to join the EU by supporting, negotiating and monitoring the development of employment and social policies in line with EU standards, and criteria for accession.

DG EMPL is particularly involved in the alignment of legislation of enlargement countries with the following chapters of EU law:

• Free movement of workers and social security coordination (Chapter 2)
• Social policy and employment (Chapter 19)
• partly education and culture, as regards vocational education and training (Chapter 26)

To support enlargement countries in their path towards the EU, DG EMPL also involves them in EU-level expert groups and other frameworks and flagship initiatives, when relevant and allowed by the respective legal basis.

The Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA) is the means by which the EU supports reforms in the candidate and potential candidate countries' with financial and technical help.

EU neighbourood

The EU works together with neighbouring countries on employment and social issues through the European neighbourhood policy and regional initiatives such as:

• the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), bringing together 15 Southern Mediterranean, African and Middle Eastern countries and all EU countries
• Eastern Partnership – covering Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine

The European Commission works with these countries through agreements, exchange of good practices, and supporting concrete actions. This cooperation aims to promote:

• better working conditions and labour relations
• effective social dialogue and labour market institutions
• employability and youth employment
• adequate and sustainable social protection.

Trade and sustainable development

EU trade policy aims to ensure that economic development goes hand in hand with social justice, respect for human rights, high labour and environmental standards. To this end, modern EU trade agreements contain rules on trade and sustainable development.

The EU works to ensure trade policy helps promote sustainable development through:

• EU trade agreements
• special incentives for developing countries (Generalise Scheme of Preferences GSP+ and Everything But Arms, EBA schemes)
• trade and development policy

Developed countries and emerging markets

The European Commission promotes international labour rights in its bilateral dialogues with third countries and partners including dedicated labour rights dialogues and consultations with Thailand, United States, Japan, China, Canada and Taiwan. 

Regional cooperation takes place with Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), Eastern Partnership, Asia (ASEM), and Latin America.

The purpose of these dialogues and cooperation is to promote mutual understanding and exchange evidence, experiences and good practices.