The European Union and its Member States, in a statement delivered on 6 June 2026 at the International Labour Conference in Geneva, urged Myanmar's military authorities to take immediate, concrete and verifiable measures to end all forms of forced labour and forced conscription, and to implement fully the recommendations of the ILO Commission of Inquiry on Conventions 87 and 29. The statement, delivered on behalf of the EU and its Member States, also expressed deep concern over ongoing violations of fundamental labour rights and civil liberties, including restrictions on freedom of association, arbitrary arrests, torture, and reprisals against trade unionists.
The statement noted that since the previous discussion, the situation in Myanmar has continued to deteriorate, with armed conflict, insecurity and humanitarian needs further intensifying. While welcoming the release of some trade unionists and labour rights defenders, the EU said these steps fall short of demonstrating genuine engagement or credible progress. The EU reaffirmed its commitment to the full implementation of the 2025 Article 33 resolution and underlined the importance of continued follow-up by all ILO constituents.
The EU welcomed the Office's continued efforts to support workers, employers and communities in Myanmar under challenging conditions, and the work towards operationalising a confidential and credible monitoring mechanism to document violations of fundamental rights, in particular freedom of association and forced labour. The EU called on the military authorities to cooperate fully with ILO supervisory bodies and the Office, including by providing guarantees for an ILO mission to visit the country.
The candidate countries North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania, Ukraine and Republic of Moldova, as well as Norway, aligned themselves with the statement.