EU Pushes for Safer Workplaces: Ratifying ILO C190

Last updated on September 21st, 2023 at 10:39 am

The Council of the European Union recently took a crucial step towards improving workplace safety on September 18, when it urged member states to join the International Labour Organization’s Violence and Harassment Convention (ILO C190). The 2019 adoption of this convention establishes global legal guidelines for preventing and dealing with violence and harassment in the workplace. This blog’s purpose is to highlight the importance of the treaty’s swift ratification by EU states and to clarify its most important provisions.

The Groundbreaking ILO C190

The ILO C190 is a ground breaking treaty that creates international norms to stop and handle workplace violence and harassment. It calls for comprehensive national rules against workplace harassment and violence, including defense mechanisms, oversight, monitoring, and enforcement, as well as assistance for survivors. The treaty includes a broad range of people, from employees and trainees to job candidates and seekers, covering both formal and informal employment sectors.

The ILO C190 is an effective instrument in ending gender based violence in the workplace because it focuses on both formal and informal sectors. It also supports initiatives to lessen domestic violence’s negative effects in the workplace. This wide ranging reach emphasizes how crucial the treaty is to preserving everyone’s safety and dignity at work.

EU’s Role and Progress

The foundation for member states to ratify ILO C190, specifically in areas falling under EU authority, was created by the European Commission’s proposal for a Council Decision in January 2020. This plan has advanced significantly as a result of the recent EU Council vote to accept it. While some EU nations have approved the agreement already, others have postponed the process, arguing the necessity to make this choice.

Urgency and Next Steps

The ILO C190 has already been approved by seven EU members, highlighting the significance of this convention. Others should, however, move quickly to ratify it and amend their laws and practices to reflect it. The Council Decision must be rapidly approved by the European Parliament to be properly enacted, underscoring the importance of this situation. Employers should implement workplace rules that are compliant with the treaty in conjunction with labor unions and worker organizations.

An important step towards a safer and more equal workplace has been taken with the European Union’s decision to support the ratification of the ILO C190. As we move forward, EU member must states quickly ratify the agreement, demonstrating their dedication to ensuring everyone has the right to safety and dignity at work.