Today, European and Peruvian civil society presents a complaint to the European Commission against Peru for violations of the trade agreement in force since 2013. The signatory organizations attest to clear violations by the Peruvian State of international commitments on labor and the environment contained in the Agreement.
**Find the complete document on http://www.europaperu.org/
*Press release
In its “Trade for All” note (2015), the European Union ensures that trade can help implement sustainable development and human rights in partner countries. For several years now, there has been a chapter dedicated to sustainable development in the trade agreements negotiated by the Commission.
Civil society, which plays an observer role within the framework of this chapter, hopes that the commitments made in the agreement will be translated into concrete actions. As the trade agreement between the EU and Peru celebrates its 5th anniversary, the Andean partner is still violating a series of provisions included in the agreement. If the latter does not seem to be worried by the European Commission, responsible for the proper application of the treaty, Belgian and Peruvian civil society is organizing and filing a complaint so that Peru really acts in favor of human rights.
In terms of labor law, Peru transgresses the fundamental Conventions of the ILO (International Labor Organization) included in the agreement, mainly that of freedom of association and collective bargaining. “In Peru, there is a very hostile climate for unions. We regularly see companies that unfairly dismiss unionized workers, without the State taking adequate measures,” denounces Javier Mujica of the Peruvian organization EQUIDAD. The unionization rate is 6 times lower than 30 years ago. In addition, through widely dispersed labor legislation, companies favor temporary contracts, de facto precarious for a large number of workers.
Environmental protection is also subject to the legislative whims of the government in place which is unraveling environmental protection institutions with the stated objective of encouraging international investments. “For the Peruvian government and businesses, approaches and measures for environmental protection are perceived as obstacles to trade” explains Géraldine Duquenne of the Europe Peru Platform. While the Ministry of the Environment has lost many of its powers, companies are more protected in their activities and their abuses on the environment.
Today, for European and Peruvian civil society, it is essential that the European Union reacts to Peru's violations of Chapter IX of the Agreement and proves that sustainable development and human rights have the same importance as trade
The complaint is an initiative of 25 Peruvian and European organizations, some of which are part of the European Consultative Group of the “Trade and Sustainable Development” Chapter of the trade agreement between Peru and the European Union.
