The European Parliament has passed a resolution urging the Bangladesh government to allow the work of the Transition Accord to continue beyond November 2018. The resolution also calls for a marked improvement in worker rights for garment workers – notably in the area of collective bargaining – in order for Bangladesh to continue to be eligible for trade sweeteners.

The Accord expired in October 2018 and was succeeded by a Transition Accord to apply for three years. The European resolution urges the Bangladesh government to adopt legislative changes to the Bangladesh Labour Act and its implementing rules to bring them into line with the ILO’s international labor standards, and to allow full freedom of association. It also urges Bangladesh to take necessary steps to effectively address all acts of anti-union discrimination, including acts of violence and intimidation.