IBA Annual Conference Paris 2023

29 Oct - 3 Nov 2023

Room 343, Level 3

Session information

Labour standards in cross border supply chains: emerging trends in trade agreements and unilateral measures to advance labour and gender rights

Tuesday 31 October (1430 - 1545)

Room 343, Level 3

Committee(s)

International Trade and Customs Law Committee (Lead)
Employment and Industrial Relations Law Committee

Description

In this panel, our experts will delve into the intricacies of international trade agreements and their impact on labour rights, unions, and gender equality. We will explore the recently introduced USMCA rapid response mechanism and its effectiveness in protecting labour rights, and compare it with the measures in the recent EU-Vietnam FTA meant to protect labour rights. And, we will examine the UFLPA and similar efforts concerning China. Our panellists will also address critical issues surrounding supply chains and their impact on labour rights, including the use of forced labour, and ways in which jurisdictions and companies intend to ensure that global trade respects human dignity. Moreover, we will discuss the role of gender in international trade and explore ways to ensure that trade measures are gender-sensitive and promote gender equality. With the rise of feminist trade policy, the panel will address how trade policies can be designed to promote gender rights and empower women or LGBTQ+ persons.

Session / Workshop Chair(s)

Emilio Arteaga Vazquez Tercero y Zepeda, Mexico City, Mexico; Publications Officer, International Trade and Customs Law Committee

Speakers

Selvamalar Alagaratnam SKRINE, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Professor Rakesh Raj Bhala University of Kansas Law School, Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Latin American Regional Forum Liaison Officer, Academic and Professional Development Committee
Kathleen Claussen Georgetown University, Washington, Washington, USA
Oscar De La Vega Gómez De La Vega & Martinez Rojas, Mexico City, Mexico; Vice Chair, Global Employment Institute (GEI)
Yves Melin Reed Smith, Brussels, Belgium; Vice Chair, International Trade and Customs Law Committee