The European Union and its member states expressed regret that not all conclusions of the International Labour Conference's Committee on the Application of Standards (CAS) could be adopted by consensus, marking the third time a government insisted on a vote on its case. In a closing statement on 12 June 2026 at the 114th session in Geneva, the EU also noted that one government was not available to engage with the committee as foreseen under the working methods for examining double-footnoted cases. The statement was delivered on behalf of the EU and its member states, with candidate countries North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania and Ukraine, as well as Iceland, Norway and the United Kingdom aligning themselves.
The EU welcomed the constructive engagement of constituents and the concrete conclusions reached during the centenary CAS session, which provide guidance for implementing international labour standards. It thanked the chair, vice-chairs, rapporteur and ILO staff for their work. The EU reaffirmed its strong commitment to the independence, objectivity and impartiality of the ILO Committee of Experts, whose analysis forms the basis for the CAS discussions. It also valued the deepening cooperation between the Committee of Experts and UN human rights treaty bodies, which it said should feed into the UN80 process to create synergies and streamline reporting burdens while respecting autonomous mandates.
The EU highlighted the timeliness of this year's General Survey on "Employment and decent work for peace and resilience," noting that it demonstrates how employment policies promoting freely chosen employment and decent work can prevent or mitigate crises and enable job-rich recovery. The survey also underscores that social dialogue mechanisms are foundational for inclusive and lasting recovery and resilience. The EU emphasised the fundamental importance of international labour standards, their ratification and effective supervision, and called on countries on the final list to respond promptly to invitations to appear before the committee.
Looking ahead, the EU reaffirmed its commitment to supporting and strengthening the ILO's supervisory system, which it described as one of the most comprehensive and valuable elements of the multilateral rules-based order. It expressed anticipation for constructive engagement with the ILO Office and tripartite constituents in following up on the committee's conclusions.
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