On Tuesday, Anti-Slavery's Supply Chain Programme Co-ordinator, Joanna Ewart-James, called on the European Parlimanent's International Trade Committee to "grasp this opportunity to influence the Government of Uzbekistan to end this abhorrent and illegal practice" presented by an amendment to the trade agreement between the EU and Uzbekistan, which the Parliament is considering approving.
Catherine Bearder MEP who sits on the International Trade Committee, described the use of state-sponsored forced child labour to pick cotton in Uzbekistan as “penal servitude on a massive scale.”
“To pass [this amendment] would clearly send the wrong message about what the EU stands for, the rights of people that we trade with,” Bearder continued. “By reserving our decision on this agreement we send a clear message that we are watching.”
Uzbekistan’s ambassador to the EU, Bakhtiyar Gulyamov, was invited to the International Trade Committee hearing, but did not attend. The European Parliament is due to vote on the amendment later this year.
More details of the event can be read on Eurasianet.org
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