The European Commission and the International Labour Organization have agreed a renewed agenda to strengthen cooperation on jobs and labour standards as economies shift towards digital tools and cleaner technologies.
The agreement was the main outcome of the 17th high-level meeting between the Commission and the UN agency, held in Brussels this week, the Commission reported on Thursday.
The meeting was co-chaired by Roxana Mînzatu, the Commission’s Executive Vice-President for Social Rights and Skills, Quality Jobs and Preparedness, and ILO Director-General Gilbert F. Houngbo.
Both organisations reaffirmed a shared commitment to multilateralism, international labour standards and “decent work” — the ILO term for work that is fairly paid, safe and respects rights — and set strategic priorities to guide the next phase of their partnership.
They also said that governance of artificial intelligence in the workplace should be “human-centred” and support the preservation and creation of decent jobs.
Focus on AI and global labour markets
The meeting confirmed the continued importance of the EU–ILO partnership in addressing global labour market challenges, the Commission said.
Mînzatu stated: “Social justice, decent work and fundamental rights at work are the foundation of resilient and competitive societies.”
She added that change “from AI to global supply chains” must “work for people.”
