Profits and Poverty: The Economics of Forced Labour

We are pleased to invite you to the global launch of a new ILO report entitled “Profits and Poverty: The Economics of Forced Labour”.

This report estimates the illegal profits generated from forced labour in the world today. These profits reflect the wages effectively stolen from the pockets of workers by the perpetrators of forced labour through their coercive practices. Understanding and addressing these illicit profits is critical to achieve progress in the fight against forced labour.

This high-level event will be co-hosted by MEP Bernd Lange, who is also the Chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on International Trade and ILO Assistant Director-General for Governance, Rights and Dialogue, Manuela Tomei.

28 million people were trapped in forced labour on any given day in 2021. Forced labour is a criminal offence and a serious violation of fundamental human rights. Beyond the individual consequences for the victims, forced labour comes with economic and social costs for the entire society. The ILO report, which is funded by the government of France, will shed light on the link between forced labour and the economic incentive structures driving it.

The event will also provide a unique opportunity to take stock of the progress on the negotiations on the EU’s ban on products made with forced labour and to discuss key measures needed to tackle the root causes of forced labour.

This hybrid event will take place on Tuesday 19 March 2024 from 9.30 until 11.30 CET at the Résidence Palace in Brussels and will bring together high-level speakers. A welcome coffee will be served at 9.00 am. You can also participate via webstream. Interpretation will be provided in English and French.

Secure your spot and register now. After registering, you will receive a confirmation e-mail containing information about joining the conference (in-person or via webstream).

We look forward to welcoming you.

Programme

09.00

Registration and networking coffee for in-person attendees

Online opening for virtual attendees

09.30

Start of the event - Opening remarks by

• Bernd Lange, Member of the European Parliament, Member of the INTA Committee
• Manuela Tomei, Assistant Director-General Governance, Rights and Dialogue, ILO
• Pierre-Yves Dermagne, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Economy and Employment of Belgium

09.50

Keynote speech by Valdis Dombrovskis, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission

10.00

Presentation of key findings

• Michaëlle De Cock, Head of Research and Evaluation Unit, ILO
• Francesca Francavilla, Senior Economist, ILO

10.20

High-level discussion, moderated by Lieve Verboven, Director of the ILO Office for the European Union and the Benelux countries

• Diane Schmitt, EU Anti-Trafficking Coordinator
• Renate Hornung Draus, Vice-President to the ILO, International Organization of Employers (IOE)
• Esther Lynch, General Secretary, European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC)

10.50

Q&A with the audience moderated by Lieve Verboven - onsite Questions only

11.20

Closing remarks

• Anousheh Karvar, French Government Delegate to the International Labour Organization (tbc)
• Bernd Lange, Member of the European Parliament, Member of the INTA Committee