EU Statement - HRC60 - Interactive Dialogue on the Report of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Contemporary Forms of Slavery

EU Statement - HRC60 - Interactive Dialogue on the Report of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Contemporary Forms of Slavery

UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL

60^th session

Interactive Dialogue on the Report of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Contemporary Forms of Slavery

12 September 2025

EU statement

Mr. President,

The EU thanks the Special Rapporteur. We welcome his report on the worst forms of child labour, and share his urgent call for collective action. The EU and its Member States remain firmly committed to eradicating child labour.

We stand at a critical juncture. Despite progress, the scale of child labour remains staggering. Around the world, children are still subjected to forced labour, contemporary forms of slavery, human trafficking and other forms of exploitation. We regret that SDG target 8.7 - ending child labour in all its forms by 2025 - will not be met.

We call for the universal ratification and implementation of ILO Convention No. 138 on Minimum Age, and the effective implementation of Convention No. 182 on the Worst Forms of Child Labour, alongside respect for all fundamental principles and rights at work.

Through its external action, the EU's Strategy on the Rights of the Child supports access to free, quality education, social and legal protection, stronger labour inspections in partner countries and relevant judicial procedures to punish perpetrators of crimes against children. The EU has committed 10% of its humanitarian aid budget to education in emergencies - a measure that also helps reduce child labour.

The EU has further adopted the Forced Labour Regulation, banning products made with forced labour - including child labour - from and to the EU market, as well as the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, which requires large companies to address human rights risks in their supply chains, including child labour. The EU Sustainable Cocoa Initiative promotes sustainable practices - including child labour prevention - in cocoa production, a sector where the EU, as the world's largest importer, can exercise significant influence.

Mr Special Rapporteur,

What are your recommendations on how best to take into account the perspectives of children and families in the design and implementation of efforts to end the exploitation of children once and for all?

I thank you.