Foreign economic policy and international labour standards
SECO ensures that international labour standards are integrated into Switzerland’s foreign economic policy.
The concept of sustainable development requires a coherent and balanced approach to its three dimensions: economic prosperity, environmental responsibility and social equity. The primary objective of external economic policy is to enhance economic performance by preserving and strengthening the attractiveness of Switzerland as a business location through framework conditions conducive the international economic activity. To ensure the consistent implementation of the Federal Council’s policy across the various levels of action, the social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development are duly considered within the framework of foreign economic policy.
Sustainable development and free trade agreements
In its foreign economic policy, Switzerland strives to achieve the objectives of sustainable development. Since 2010, Switzerland and its EFTA partners have systematically proposed to all partners in free trade agreements the inclusion of environmental protection and international labour standards. These provisions aim to ensure consistency between these agreements and existing international obligations. They reaffirm the key substantive standards relating to sustainable development – particularly those of the UN in the field of human rights, those of the International Labour Organization (ILO) in the field of labour, and those of multilateral environmental agreements in the field of the environment. SECO's DAIN department (International Labour Affairs) supports the relevant SECO departments in negotiating and monitoring provisions relating to labour standards in free trade agreements. It also supports the conduct of ex ante development impact assessments in the context of free trade agreements and monitors international developments in ‘trade and labour’.
Bilateral dialogues on employment and working conditions
Since 2011, the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research (EAER) has been working to institutionalise dialogue with selected partner countries. The aim is to complement the growing economic ties by strengthening cooperation on working and employment conditions. To date, the DEFR has concluded Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with the Chinese Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (MOHRSS), the Chinese Ministry of Emergency Management (MEM), the Vietnamese Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA), the Indonesian Ministry of Labour (MoM), the South African Department of Employment and Labour (DEL), the Myanmar Ministry of National Planning and Development, and the Moldovan Ministry of Labour and Social Protection (MLSP). This strengthens the collaboration and exchanges on labour challenges and development, international labour standards, and industrial relations. High-level tripartite dialogues further expand existing collaboration in the field of SECO’s economic development cooperation. They also foster to complement this cooperation by establishing direct bilateral contacts between experts from both partners on topics of mutual interest.
Index
Related topics
The social dimension of sustainable development
SECO is committed to the social dimension of sustainable development.
Social criteria
ILO fundamental conventions in Swiss legislation.
Sustainability in free trade agreements
Sustainable development is a key consideration in free trade agreements. The aim is to negotiate agreements that are compatible with sustainable development in Switzerland and in partner countries.
Contact
Labour Directorate
International Labour Affairs
Holzikofenweg 36
CH - 3003 Bern