Pakistan Inclusion in GSP Plus

1. Brief
Government of Pakistan plans to apply for GSP-Plus status with European Union in February, 2012. This would enable Pakistan to avail tariff concession opportunities offered by the European Union for export of its products to European markets. This requires that the applicant country has signed, ratified and is satisfactorily implementing 27 International Conventions pertaining to human rights, labour rights, environment and good governance.

The following 8 Conventions of the International Labour Organization (ILO) pertain to labour rights and as such are to be implemented by the Government of Pakistan and Provincial Labour Departments:

  • C-29. Convention concerning Forced or Compulsory Labour (1930)
  • C-87. Convention concerning Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organize (1948)
  • C-98. Convention concerning the Application of the Principles of the Right to Organize and to Bargain Collectively (1949)
  • C-105. Convention concerning the Abolition of Forced Labour (1957)
  • C-138. Convention concerning Minimum Age for Admission to Employment (1973)
  • C-182. Convention concerning the Prohibition and Immediate Action for the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour (1999)
  • C-100. Convention concerning Equal Remuneration of Men and Women Workers for Work of Equal Value (1951)
  • C-111. Convention concerning Discrimination in Respect of Employment and Occupation (1958)

2. Implementation Status

3. Enforcement Mechanism
The relevant labour laws are being enforced by the Labour & Human Resource Department, Government of the Punjab.

In all the districts, offices of the District Officers Labour are established under the supervision and control of the Director General Labour Welfare, Punjab. Directorate of Labour Welfare, Punjab is established at 62-D, New Muslim Town, Lahore.

Eleven Labour Courts at Lahore (2), Sheikhupura (Ferozewala), Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Multan, Faisalabad, Sargodha, Sahiwal, D.G. Khan and Bahawalpur and two Labour Appellate Tribunals at Lahore and Multan are established.

4. Reporting Requirement
Under the Constitution of International Labour Organization (ILO), periodical reports are to be sent regarding measures taken by the member state to implement the relevant conventions. Subsequently, comments on the observations of committees of experts on the application of conventions and recommendations (CEACR) and committee on Freedom of Association (CFA) of the ILO are also submitted regularly in the manner prescribed by the Monitoring Body.

Reportedly, reports for the period till August, 2012 have been sent by the Government of Pakistan as required under Article 22 of the Constitution of the ILO.