Commissioner Lamy, what are you thinking of doing in future to ensure that core labour standards are not only insisted on by the toothless ILO? How can you help us, after what has happened at the WTO, to make a new start and move things forward?

Accordingly, it should be possible to draw up the technical specifications in terms of functional performance and requirements and, where reference is made to the European standard or, in the absence thereof, to the national standard, tenders based on other equivalent arrangements which meet the requirements of the contracting entities and are equivalent in terms of safety should be considered by the contracting entities.

– (FI) Mr President, I agree with the Honourable Member that it would be appropriate to discuss core labour standards at the WTO round, and preparations are based on the recognition that these matters have to be discussed.

- In line with this approach, provide support for capacity building and technical assistance to developing countries to promote compliance with agreed international environmental and labour standards, thereby helping to promote sustainable development and establishing a solid basis for the application of CSR principles by both foreign and domestic investors.

CSR benchmarks should build upon core values and take their starting point in international agreed instruments such as ILO core labour standards and OECD guidelines for multinational enterprises.

3. Technical specifications shall be formulated by referring to national standards implementing European standards, European technical approvals, European eco-labelling or working environment labelling regulations, international environmental or working environment management standards, environmental, working environment and social accounting standards, common technical specifications, international standards or when these do not exist national standards or national technical approvals, or any other technical reference produced by European standardisation bodies as defined in Annex VI, provided that the reference is accompanied by the words "or equivalent".