BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

October 03, 2005 09:22 AM ET

EU Tells Belarus to Reform Labor Rights

BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) - The EU warned Belarus Monday it would withdraw preferential trade rates unless it reforms its labor rights rules.

Belarus has 14 months to make changes guaranteeing trade union independence or it will face paying an extra 3 percentage points in trade tariffs.

In a September 2004 report, the International Labor Organization said that Belarus had "seriously infringed" on the basic civil liberties of its independent trade union leaders and called for guaranteed freedom of action for unions that have suffered interference in their internal affairs.

In a notice posted online, the EU executive Commission said it had carried out an investigation into "alleged systematic and serious violations of the freedom of association in Belarus."

"The Commission considers that the findings justify the temporary withdrawal ... and has decided ... to monitor and evaluate the situation in Belarus for a period of six months."

Belarus has another eight months after that to introduce changes.

The EU press office said it did not know if Belarus had made any commitment to change its rules.

Countries have to meet social norms to receive the EU's preferential trade tariffs.

Source:

http://news.moneycentral.msn.com/provider/providerarticle.asp?feed=AP&Date=20051003&ID=5160378
http://www.forbes.com/work/feeds/ap/2005/10/03/ap2256263.html
http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D8D0J1AG1.htm?campaign_id=apn_home_down&chan=db