The Netherlands and Germany will be working closely together to improve labour conditions and wages for millions of textile workers in Asia. At their first meeting in Berlin on Thursday afternoon, Lilianne Ploumen, Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, and her German counterpart, the newly appointed Gerd Müller, agreed to join forces on this issue.
Both ministers support a broad-based approach for the textile industry. ‘Progress can be made by working with the European fashion industry and the governments, employers and unions in the countries concerned,’ the ministers said. They also see an important role for the International Labour Organization (ILO).
The new approach in Bangladesh can serve as an example of how improvements can be made. Last year more than 1,100 textile workers died in the Rana Plaza disaster. Thanks in part to a Dutch initiative, work is now under way to make factories safer through regular, independent inspections.
It’s vital that social and environmental standards improve in manufacturing countries in Asia, Mr Müller said. ‘An important factor in this will be changing our own consumer's behavior.’
Ms Ploumen is pleased with the support for her policies. ‘By working with my German colleague, we can enhance the impact of our plans to improve the working conditions of millions of people,’ she said.
The Netherlands and Germany have worked together on this issue before. In December 2013, they held a joint conference called ‘Living Wages’ in Berlin, in which major fashion chains like H&M participated.
Source: Textile Updates
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