The cross-border social dialogue dimension of this Free Trade Agreement (FTA), in force since 1 January 2021, relates to its Chapter 16 on “Trade and Sustainable Development” which provides for the organization of “Joint Dialogue with Civil Society Organisations” on a regular basis, among representatives of civil society organizations (CSOs), including national employers’ and workers’ organizations’ members of the Domestic Advisory Groups (DAG) in the two countries. According to this FTA, DAGs are composed of “a balanced representation of independent economic, social and environmental stakeholders, including employers' and workers' organizations and environmental groups”.
The “Joint Dialogue with CSOs” shall be convened regularly, with a view to sharing information on the implementation of Chapter 16, and allowing its members to express views and opinions on it.
More broadly, Chapter 16 commits the Parties to the FTA to, among other things, “promote the development of trade in a way that is conducive to full and productive employment and decent work for all, including men, women and young people” and “to promote and implement in their laws and practices the internationally recognised core labour standards”. It also commits them to make “continued and sustained efforts” in pursuing the ratification of the fundamental ILO Conventions and other ILO Conventions which each Party considers appropriate to ratify and cooperate at different levels to evaluate the mutual impact between trade and labour or on trade-related aspects of ILO's Decent Work Agenda.
The first Joint Dialogue with Civil Society meeting took place on 6 February 2023.