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RECOMMENDATION (13106/2023 – C90396/2023 – 2020/0011(NLE))

On the draft Council decision inviting Member States to ratify the Violence and Harassment Convention, 2019 (No. 190) of the International Labour Organization

A-9-2024-0040

Committee on Employment and Social Affairs Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality · Rapporteur: Kira Marie PeterHansen, Cindy Franssen

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Written by a language model from the full text only; every figure comes from the text. The paragraph links open the paragraph a statement rests on — check the text itself before relying on it.

Parliament's committee report asks Parliament to give its consent to the draft Council decision inviting member states to ratify the Violence and Harassment Convention, 2019 (No. 190) of the International Labour Organization. The report explains that the Convention is the first international treaty recognising the right to a world of work free from violence and harassment, and sets minimum standards and obligations for member states. It finds that violence and harassment at work affect more than one in five persons in employment, with women disproportionately affected, and that certain groups and sectors face higher risks. The co-rapporteurs call for further EU legislative steps, including swift adoption of the directive on combating violence against women and domestic violence and a proposal on psycho-social risks, and for EU action on algorithmic management and data collection. They also encourage social partners to address violence and harassment through social dialogue and urge the EU to advocate global ratification of the Convention, including through trade policy conditionalities.

Committee position. The Committee on Employment and Social Affairs and the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality propose that Parliament give its consent to the draft Council decision inviting member states to ratify ILO Convention No. 190.

Key points

  1. Parliament gives its consent to the draft Council decision inviting member states to ratify ILO Convention No. 190.
  2. The Convention is the first international treaty to recognise the right of everyone to a world of work free from violence and harassment, including gender-based violence and harassment.
  3. Article 1 provides the first international definition of violence and harassment in the world of work.
  4. Article 2 protects workers and other persons in the world of work, including employees, persons in training, terminated workers, volunteers, job seekers, job applicants, supervisors and employers, in all sectors.
  5. Articles 4 to 6 set out core principles promoting an inclusive, integrated and gender-responsive approach to prevent and eliminate violence and harassment.
  6. Articles 7 to 9 require member states to define and prohibit violence and harassment in laws and regulations, identify exposed sectors or occupations, and require employers to take appropriate steps to prevent it.
  7. Article 10 requires member states to monitor and enforce laws, ensure access to safe reporting and dispute resolution, protect complainants, victims, witnesses and whistle-blowers, provide sanctions and ensure remedies and support.
  8. Article 11 requires member states, in consultation with social partners, to ensure national policies address violence and harassment and to provide guidance, resources, training or tools in accessible formats.
  9. The co-rapporteurs call for the swift adoption of the directive on combating violence against women and domestic violence and for a proposal for a legislative instrument to address psycho-social risks in the world of work.
  10. They recall Parliament's demand for a new legislative proposal on algorithmic management in the world of work and stress the need to protect workers in digital settings.
  11. They encourage the Commission to close the data gap by complementing existing common guidelines with collection of data focusing on at-risk groups.
  12. They encourage social partners to address violence and harassment through awareness-raising campaigns and training, and urge the EU to advocate global ratification of the Convention, including through trade policy conditionalities.

Who is affected

  • EU member states, which are invited to ratify the Convention and must define, prohibit and prevent violence and harassment at work.
  • Workers and other persons in the world of work, including employees, trainees, volunteers, job seekers and job applicants, who are protected by the Convention.
  • Employers, who are required to take appropriate steps to prevent violence and harassment in the world of work.
  • Women, who are disproportionately affected by violence and harassment, including at work.
  • Groups at higher risk, such as domestic workers, informal economy workers, LGBTI workers and persons with disabilities.

Figures and deadlines

  • More than one in five persons in employment have experienced at least one form of violence and harassment at work during their working life.
  • 1 in 3 women in the EU have experienced a form of physical and/or sexual violence.
  • About a third of women who have faced sexual harassment in the EU experience it at work.
  • Nearly one in five people at work have experienced psychological violence and harassment in their working life.
  • Seven member states have ratified Convention No. 190 so far.

Legal basis: Article 153(2), Article 153(1), point (a), Article 157(3) and Article 218(6), second subparagraph, point (a)(v), of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.