ILO Governing Body, 352^nd session 

28 October – 7 November 2024

Follow-up to the resolution concerning decent work and the care economy

GB.352/INS/3/2

EU Statement

Chair,

I speak on behalf of the European Union and its Member States.

The candidate countries North Macedonia*, Montenegro*, Serbia*, Albania*, Ukraine, Republic of Moldova and Bosnia and Herzegovina*, the EFTA country Norway, member of the European Economic Area, as well as Armenia, align themselves with this statement.

1. We thank the Office for the document on a follow-up to the resolution concerning decent work and the care economy. The ILO plays a unique role in promoting decent work, and the EU and its Member States are convinced that this should apply in the care economy, which we continue to stand ready to support.
2. The committee identified a common understanding of the care economy as comprising both paid and unpaid care work, and emphasized the strong links between decent work, gender equality, just transition, sustainable development and the care economy.
3. Considering that a well-functioning care economy is critical for building resilience to crises, creating jobs and for achieving inclusion and gender equality, the committee recognized that significant gaps remain.
4. Conclusions highlighted the heterogenous nature of the care economy and the organization of care, that relies heavily on the work done by women, often unpaid and undervalued, limiting their personal and professional opportunities and perpetuating gender disparities.
5. The conclusions recognise the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and they also recognise the weaknesses in working conditions and staffing in the care sector, including in light of demographic change.
6. A well based care economy has a potential to contribute to the Decent Work Agenda, the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and a just transition, promoting protection of all care workers, including migrant workers and  persons in vulnerable situations, persons facing discrimination on multiple and intersecting grounds, as well as violence and harassment affecting mainly women.
7. We welcome the draft plan of action proposed by the Office to promote an integrated strategy to achieve decent work in the care economy for the period 2024–30, guided by the 5R Framework, which will implement the conclusions adopted by the Conference. 
8. We support the four components of the action plan, especially the actions related to knowledge development, technical advisory services and capacity-building for constituents; international labour standards-related actions, reinforced social dialogue related to care economy, as well as the development of statistical standards; also ILO’s global leadership promoting policy coherence and partnerships on decent work and the care economy. 
9. The EU focuses on improving conditions for both care recipients and caregivers, and training for care staff through its “European Care Strategy for Caregivers and Care Receivers”.
10. We support the proposal for a tripartite meeting on paternity and parental protection, and other care leave, in the first quarter of 2026.
11. We ask the Office to also engage in extrabudgetary resource mobilization to meet resource gaps as required.
12. With the above in mind, we support the decision point as amended by Employers.

Thank you, Chair.

*North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.