Answer to a written question – Products from Chinese-flagged tuna vessels caught with North Korean labour and authorised for export to the European Union – E-000935/2025(ASW)

The Commission deplores violations of the fundamental rights at work committed against any worker, including high-risk jobs such as fishers.

In line with this, the Commission actively promotes the effective implementation of fundamental international labour standards from the International Labour Organisation (ILO) within the EU and by partner countries[1], including the conventions setting out standards on adequate working conditions for fishers[2] and the elimination of forced or compulsory labour[3].

As a member country of the ILO, China has the obligation to uphold the fundamental principles and rights at work. Through its human rights dialogue with China, the EU raises its concerns about labour rights and the use of forced labour with the Chinese authorities[4].

In addition, the EU adopted in 2024 t he Forced Labour Regulation[5], which prohibits products made with forced labour on the EU market.

From the entry into application of the regulation in December 2027, the Commission and Member States’ competent authorities will be able to investigate allegations about the presence of forced labour practices in the manufacturing products intended for the EU market and eventually ban the products concerned when sufficient evidence is found.

• [1] For an overview of policies and measures, see the communication from the Commission on decent work worldwide for a global just transition and a sustainable recovery (COM/2022/66 final) https://ec.europa.eu/social/BlobServlet?docId=25260&langId=en, https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex:52022DC0066
• [2] ILO Work in Fishing Convention, 2007 (No 188).
• [3] ILO Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No 29); ILO Abolition of Forced Labour Convention, 1957 (No 105).
• [4] https://www.eeas.europa.eu/eeas/china-39th-human-rights-dialogue-european-union-took-place-chongqing_en
• [5] Regulation (EU) 2024/3015 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 November 2024 on prohibiting products made with forced labour on the Union market and amending Directive (EU) 2019/1937 (OJ L, 2024/3015, 12.12.2024), https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/3015/oj/eng