An agreement on the inclusion of a social clause in the World Trade Organization‟s (WTO) multilateral trade agreements largely depends on reassuring objecting member states that such inclusion will contribute to an improved recognition of core labour standards in trade, without altering the competitive advantage of one trading partner over another. Reassurance must be given to the effect that incorporating a social clause in the WTO legal framework would not be used as a trade restricting mechanism which might have direct, negative effects on the development of countries worldwide. Such an argument may not be won easily from a legal and economic perspective. There is an omnipresent conflict at the international level between the basic values underlying multilateral trade agreements and principles governing the protection of core labour standards. On the one hand, supporting the stance of free trade is the fundamental force of profit maximization while on the other hand, and in direct opposition to this market driven value system, are human rights-based calls for recognising core labour standards in employment matters related to trade. Increased international trade is a powerful tool for tackling poverty and social misery worldwide. It could thus be important to adopt a legal framework in the multilateral trade system to harness potential opportunities a trade-labour linkage could provide. In that case, the legal questions of whether or not there should be a tradeoff between the right to trade and compliance with core labour standards and whether a social clause in the WTO would achieve this purpose had to be addressed. However, without a compatible underpinning legal framework of universally accepted trade-labour standards, incorporating a social clause in the WTO would be a misplaced legal objective which is unachievable as it could lead to a conflict between the WTO and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and at most could create a legal fiction whose results may not be positively measurable. Setting two international legal norms at conflict with each other is systematically studied as a conflict in which the values of the global market economy are in a supposed confrontation with those protecting core labour standards as human rights. Therefore, this study undertook a contemporary legal analysis of the possibilities and challenges of incorporating a social clause in the WTO for purposes of entrenching the protection of core labour standards. It put forward arguments and tentative proposals for a trade-labour linkage legal framework which could dispel calls for excluding a social clause in the WTO.

Historically, International Labour Law was developed to mitigate the negative social externalities of the Industrial Revolution and protect international trade from unfair competition. With a similar objective, the international community failed to establish the International Trade Organisation provided for in the 1948 Havana Charter. In its place, the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) was adopted. However, the Havana Charter remains the first universal trade treaty to include a social clause. During the Cold War, Western countries failed to introduce a social clause in the GATT. The most resounding failure was in the 1990s when the World Trade Organisation (WTO) was created. This failure drove Western countries to introduce social clauses in bilateral and non-universal multilateral trade agreements. Since the 2000s there has been a ‘boom’ of new social clauses. These clauses have developed into two main models: the conditional model and the cooperative (or promotional) model. The former model is typical of the US, the latter of the EU. The US and EU clauses have four characteristics and structural elements: social obligations, procedural commitments, implementation mechanisms and dispute settlement mechanisms. The main difference between the two types of social clauses lies in the presence (US model) or absence (EU model) of sanctions for breach of obligations. The research question of this dissertation concerns the legal efficacy of social clauses. First, the research reconstructs the historical-legal background and conceptualises social clauses. Second, the study compares the EU and US models from a legal-historical perspective. Third, the dissertation comparatively assesses two fundamental (and so far unique) cases for breach of social obligations: the US v. Guatemala case and the EU v. Republic of Korea case.

In this article, the author presents the theme of the historical evolution of Labour Law, analyzing the most important milestones in which it develops. Firstly, he addresses the regulation of work in the preindustrial era; then, the emergence of Labour Law as a result of historical and social factors; and finally, its evolution throughout the twentieth and twenty-first century, concluding that this development has come to be circular. / En el presente artículo, el autor abarca el tema de la evolución histórica del Derecho del Trabajo, analizando los hitos más importantes en los que se desarrolla. En primer lugar, aborda la regulación del trabajo en la época preindustrial; a continuación, el surgimiento del Derecho del Trabajo a consecuencia de factores histórico-sociales; y, finalmente, su evolución a lo largo del siglo XX y XXI, concluyendo que esta evolución ha terminado por ser circular.

Magister Legum - LLM / In this paper I delve into the connection between trade policy and labour rights as probably one of the most controversial issues, which the international trading system is faced with today. Labour laws differ from country to country and of course it is a cause for concern where some countries have higher standards than others, it becomes problematic for these countries with high standards to compete with countries with lower standards. Even though there is a definite link between trade and labour, my argument is that incorporating labour standards into the international trading system is not the best way forward to deal with the problem of abuse of labour standards. I further investigate the two organizations at the forefront of this debate, being the WTO and the ILO. In an attempt to ascertain which of the two is the best forum to deal with the issue I further look at the relationship between these two organizations. Compliance with international labour standards is a growing concern as worldwide standards are deteriorating and nothing is being done to alleviate the problem. Accordingly, I explore the causes for the abuse of labour standards and seek to find the better alternative, by looking at the respective positions of the parties who are for and against the linkage of trade with labour standards. Here the views and concerns of the developed world are weighed up against those of the developing world and looking at possible alternatives concludes the paper. / South Africa

La commande publique et la contribution au développement durable relèvent a priori de deux logiques distinctes. D’un côté, les marchés publics ont pour fonction de répondre aux besoins des personnes publiques. De l’autre, la contribution au développement durable dépend traditionnellement d’actes juridiques non contractuels. Pourtant, les personnes publiques recourent de plus en plus aux contrats de la commande publique pour engager des politiques publiques de développement durable.La présente recherche identifie ce phénomène et démontre que ces contrats à objet de développement durable participent d’une modification de la fonction de la commande publique. Dès lors, ils deviennent des instruments de l’action environnementale et sociale des personnes publiques. Ce changement majeur de la fonction de l’achat public est renforcé par l’adoption des directives communautaires sur les marchés publics du 26 février 2014 et s’inscrit dans le cadre de la définition renouvelée du marché intérieur. Partant, la réussite d’une telle évolution implique nécessairement d’être accompagnée d’une réforme contentieuse afin de donner toute son efficience à cette ouverture de la commande publique aux politiques de développement durable. Plus encore, il sera démontré que cette régénération de la commande publique dépasse l’objet de développement durable et s’élargit à la mise en œuvre d’autres politiques publiques. L’ensemble du droit de la commande publique s’en trouve ainsi affecté / Public procurement and contribution to sustainability come, seemingly, from two distinct logics. On one hand, public markets function to meet the needs of public citizens. On the other hand, contribution to sustainability is traditionally dependent on legal, and not contractual, acts. However, public citizens increasingly use public procurement contracts to affect public policy on sustainability.This research identifies this phenomenon and shows that these contracts relating to sustainability are similar to a modification of the function of public procurement. Subsequently, they become instruments of environmental and social action for public citizens. This major change in the function of public buying is reinforced by the communal directives on public markets dated 26th of February 2014 and is recorded in the renewed definition of the domestic market. The success of this evolution necessarily implies a need for it to be accompanied by a legal reform in order for the complete efficiency of this opening up of public procurement to sustainability policies to be reached. Furthermore, this research will show that this regeneration of public procurement goes further than sustainability and reaches more widely into the sphere of other public policies. The whole body of public procurement law is as such affected

En 2004, a eu lieu au Maroc une réforme en profondeur du Code du travail qui faisant suite à l'entrée en vigueur de l'accord commercial avec l'Union européenne, a coïncidé avec les négociations de celui qui lie aujourd'hui le Maroc aux États-Unis.Les prises de position marocaines qui ont émaillé à la fin des années 90 le débat sur la « clause sociale » à l'OMC semblaient pouvoir être réinterrogées à la lumière de ces événements.La question semblait simple : existe-il des clauses à caractère social au sein des accords commerciaux signés entre le Maroc et ses partenaires commerciaux et si oui quel est leur impact sur l'ordre juridique marocain ?Il s'agissait donc d'étudier :D'une part, tous les accords commerciaux conclus par le Maroc dès l'indépendance pour vérifier l'existence de telles clauses et le cas échéant dater leur apparition ;D'autre part, le débat sur l'insertion d'une « clause sociale » dans les accords commerciaux (contexte historique, diplomatique et théorique, logiques marocaines et logiques des partenaires commerciaux du Maroc, logique des organisations internationales OMC et OIT notamment) pour tenter d'en circonscrire le contenu.Le champ de la recherche, alors, recentré sur le respect des droits fondamentaux des travailleurs, restait la question de l'application de ces droits au Maroc.Pour répondre à la question posée par cette étude, des rencontres et des entretiens ont été réalisés avec plusieurs responsables de l'administration marocaine pour savoir si vraiment les accords commerciaux du Maroc ont contribué au respect des droits fondamentaux des travailleurs dans ce pays. / In 2004, took place in Morocco in-depth reform of the Labour Code just after the entry into force of the trade agreement with the European Union, coincided with the negotiations of that which United States.The views Moroccan that marred the end of 90th the debate on the "social clause" in WTO seemed to be re-discuss light of these events.The question seemed simple : are there any social clauses in trade agreements signed between Morocco and its trading partners and if so what is their impact on the Moroccan legal system?It was therefore to investigate:First, all trade agreements concluded by Morocco since independence to verify the existence of such clauses and where appropriate date their appearance;Second, the debate over the inclusion of a "social clause" in trade agreements (historical, diplomatic and theoretical, logical and logical Moroccan business partners of Morocco, logic of international organizations including WTO and ILO) to attempt to define the content.The field of research, then refocused on the fundamental rights of workers, left the question of enforcement of these rights in Morocco.To answer the question posed by this study, meetings and interviews were conducted with several officials of the Moroccan administration to really know whether Morocco's trade agreements have contributed to the fundamental rights of workers in this country.

Il presente lavoro ha ad oggetto una analisi comparata tra Europa ed America Latina in merito al fenomeno del dumping sociale e al suo stretto rapporto con il contratto di lavoro internazionale e le relative condizioni di lavoro. Il lavoro di ricerca ha richiesto lo studio e l’analisi di fonti “variegate” e multidisciplinari in quanto si tratta di un fenomeno poliedrico, relativamente recente e che è stato oggetto di interpretazioni molto diverse, se non antitetiche. L’obiettivo della presente analisi è molteplice. In primo luogo, si è trattato di definire il perimetro del fenomeno, astraendone una possibile definizione, tuttora assente nel panorama normativo vigente. In secondo luogo, si è voluto, mediante una analisi comparata tra Europa e America Latina, verificare l’andamento del dumping sociale in differenti contesti, in particolare, in un Paese industrializzato e in un Paese in via di sviluppo. Con il terzo e ultimo obiettivo, facendo emergere luci ed ombre del dumping sociale, si è cercato di individuare un percorso futuro dove fosse possibile – mediante comportamenti proattivi da parte di tutti gli attori coinvolti – arginare i fenomeni negativi del dumping e tutelare sempre più i diritti sociali. / The thesis concerns a comparative analysis between Europe and Latin America regarding the phenomenon of social dumping and its close relationship with the international employment contract and related working conditions. The research has required the study and analysis of "varied" and multidisciplinary reference sources, taking into account that it is a multifaceted phenomenon, which has become more common in relatively recent periods and has been the subject of very different interpretations, sometimes even antithetical. The aim of this research is multiple. Firstly, the thesis sought to define the perimeter of the phenomenon, extracting a possible legal definition, which is still absent in the existing regulatory framework. Secondly, through a comparative analysis between Europe and Latin America, the research analyzed the trend of social dumping in different contexts, in particular, in a developed and in a developing country. In its third and last objective, the thesis, by taking out the pros and cons of social dumping, tried to identify a future path in where it will be possible – through proactive behavior on behalf by all those involved – to make a positive contribution to counter the negative phenomena of dumping while increasingly protect social rights.

Cette thèse porte sur le recours à des mesures restrictives du commerce par le Canada comme moyen de lutte contre le travail dangereux des enfants, dans un contexte de mise en œuvre de la responsabilité internationale d’un État en cas de non respect de la Convention de l’Organisation internationale du travail nº 182 sur les pires formes de travail des enfants. Bien que la capacité d’imposer des telles mesures se rapportant à des situations de travail dangereux des enfants soit analysée, essentiellement, du point de vue du droit de l’Organisation internationale du commerce (OMC), cette étude reste circonscrite à l’application de la Convention OIT 182. De plus, cette thèse veut fournir une analyse prospective de nature spéculative portant sur l’opportunité de recourir à de telles mesures en discutant de leurs éventuelles conséquences sur les enfants qu’on vise à protéger par ce moyen. La première partie de la thèse s’intéresse à la légalité d’éventuelles sanctions commerciales imposées par le Canada afin d’amener un pays membre de l’OMC dont il importe des produits à respecter la Convention OIT 182. La légalité de ces sanctions est abordée tant du point de vue du régime général du GATT que de celui des exceptions générales. Du point de vue du régime général, l’analyse porte notamment sur l’article III de cet accord relatif au principe du traitement national. Une fois constatée leur illicéité à l’égard de l’article III du GATT, seul l’article XX de cet accord peut être invoqué pour permettre le recours à ces mesures. Nous nous attardons plus particulièrement aux exceptions de l’article XX relatives à la protection de la moralité publique et à celle de la protection de la vie et de la santé humaine. La thèse aborde les conditions auxquelles est assujetti le recours aux exceptions de l’article XX retenues comme pertinentes, notamment celles de la « nécessité » des mesures et du respect des compétences étatiques. En outre, cette étude analyse les conditions d’application des mesures restrictives du commerce découlant du préambule de l’article XX. En ce qui concerne l’exception relative à la moralité publique, cette notion est discutée dans un contexte national spécifique, soit celui du Canada. La seconde partie de la thèse s’intéresse à l’opportunité de recourir à des mesures commerciales restrictives et leurs conséquences éventuelles sur les enfants dont la protection est recherchée. La démarche, qui est éminemment prospective, prend la forme d’une étude de cas portant sur un secteur productif qui n’a jamais connu dans les faits des sanctions commerciales, soit la production floricole en Équateur. Il s’agit d’un secteur caractérisé par la présence d’enfants en situation de travail dangereux impliqués dans la production de biens destinés à l’exportation. Notre recherche est de type exploratoire. De ce fait, elle ne vise pas à formuler des conclusions fermes quant aux effets des sanctions, mais plutôt à déceler les effets potentiellement bénéfiques ou nuisibles que les mesures restrictives du commerce pourraient avoir sur les enfants exploités, ainsi qu’à évaluer la contribution des sanctions commerciales à la solution du problème. / This thesis focuses on Canada’s use of restrictive trade measures to fight against hazardous child labour, in the context of the implementation of the International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention concerning the Prohibition and Immediate Action for the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour (No. 182). Canada’s capacity to impose such measures in instances of hazardous child labour is analyzed primarily from the legal standpoint of the World Trade Organization (WTO), though the focus of this study is limited to the application of ILO Convention No. 182. In addition, this thesis aims to assess the appropriateness of such restrictive trade measures by discussing their potential consequences for working children. The first part of the thesis deals with the legality of prospective trade sanctions imposed by Canada to make a WTO trading partner comply with ILO Convention No. 182. The legality of these sanctions is discussed according to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) general rules as well as general exceptions. With regard to the general rules, our analysis focuses in particular on Article III, which pertains to national treatment. Once the illicitness of restrictive trade measures with respect to Article III of GATT is demonstrated, we turn to Article XX of this agreement as the only means to justify the measures. Specifically, we concentrate on the exceptions presented in Article XX related to the protection of public morals and the protection of life and human health. The notion of public morality is actualized within the Canadian national context. The thesis analyses the conditions limiting the use of Article XX’s relevant exceptions, including the "necessity" test and compliance with the rules of international law on state jurisdiction. Moreover, this study focuses on the rules related to the application of trade restrictive measures presented in Article XX’s chapeau. The second part of the thesis focuses on the appropriateness of using trade restrictions and their potential impact on the children whose protection is sought. The research consists in a case study on flower production in Ecuador, a sector characterized by the presence of children working under hazardous conditions and involved in producing goods for export. This sector has not yet been the target of commercial sanctions. Therefore, our research speculates on the effects of hypothetical sanctions and is exploratory in nature. The aim is not to reach firm conclusions about the effects of sanctions, but rather to identify the potentially beneficial or harmful effects that restrictive trade measures might have on exploited children, as well as to assess the potential contribution of such measures in solving the problem.

Cette thèse porte sur le recours à des mesures restrictives du commerce par le Canada comme moyen de lutte contre le travail dangereux des enfants, dans un contexte de mise en œuvre de la responsabilité internationale d’un État en cas de non respect de la Convention de l’Organisation internationale du travail nº 182 sur les pires formes de travail des enfants. Bien que la capacité d’imposer des telles mesures se rapportant à des situations de travail dangereux des enfants soit analysée, essentiellement, du point de vue du droit de l’Organisation internationale du commerce (OMC), cette étude reste circonscrite à l’application de la Convention OIT 182. De plus, cette thèse veut fournir une analyse prospective de nature spéculative portant sur l’opportunité de recourir à de telles mesures en discutant de leurs éventuelles conséquences sur les enfants qu’on vise à protéger par ce moyen. La première partie de la thèse s’intéresse à la légalité d’éventuelles sanctions commerciales imposées par le Canada afin d’amener un pays membre de l’OMC dont il importe des produits à respecter la Convention OIT 182. La légalité de ces sanctions est abordée tant du point de vue du régime général du GATT que de celui des exceptions générales. Du point de vue du régime général, l’analyse porte notamment sur l’article III de cet accord relatif au principe du traitement national. Une fois constatée leur illicéité à l’égard de l’article III du GATT, seul l’article XX de cet accord peut être invoqué pour permettre le recours à ces mesures. Nous nous attardons plus particulièrement aux exceptions de l’article XX relatives à la protection de la moralité publique et à celle de la protection de la vie et de la santé humaine. La thèse aborde les conditions auxquelles est assujetti le recours aux exceptions de l’article XX retenues comme pertinentes, notamment celles de la « nécessité » des mesures et du respect des compétences étatiques. En outre, cette étude analyse les conditions d’application des mesures restrictives du commerce découlant du préambule de l’article XX. En ce qui concerne l’exception relative à la moralité publique, cette notion est discutée dans un contexte national spécifique, soit celui du Canada. La seconde partie de la thèse s’intéresse à l’opportunité de recourir à des mesures commerciales restrictives et leurs conséquences éventuelles sur les enfants dont la protection est recherchée. La démarche, qui est éminemment prospective, prend la forme d’une étude de cas portant sur un secteur productif qui n’a jamais connu dans les faits des sanctions commerciales, soit la production floricole en Équateur. Il s’agit d’un secteur caractérisé par la présence d’enfants en situation de travail dangereux impliqués dans la production de biens destinés à l’exportation. Notre recherche est de type exploratoire. De ce fait, elle ne vise pas à formuler des conclusions fermes quant aux effets des sanctions, mais plutôt à déceler les effets potentiellement bénéfiques ou nuisibles que les mesures restrictives du commerce pourraient avoir sur les enfants exploités, ainsi qu’à évaluer la contribution des sanctions commerciales à la solution du problème. / This thesis focuses on Canada’s use of restrictive trade measures to fight against hazardous child labour, in the context of the implementation of the International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention concerning the Prohibition and Immediate Action for the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour (No. 182). Canada’s capacity to impose such measures in instances of hazardous child labour is analyzed primarily from the legal standpoint of the World Trade Organization (WTO), though the focus of this study is limited to the application of ILO Convention No. 182. In addition, this thesis aims to assess the appropriateness of such restrictive trade measures by discussing their potential consequences for working children. The first part of the thesis deals with the legality of prospective trade sanctions imposed by Canada to make a WTO trading partner comply with ILO Convention No. 182. The legality of these sanctions is discussed according to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) general rules as well as general exceptions. With regard to the general rules, our analysis focuses in particular on Article III, which pertains to national treatment. Once the illicitness of restrictive trade measures with respect to Article III of GATT is demonstrated, we turn to Article XX of this agreement as the only means to justify the measures. Specifically, we concentrate on the exceptions presented in Article XX related to the protection of public morals and the protection of life and human health. The notion of public morality is actualized within the Canadian national context. The thesis analyses the conditions limiting the use of Article XX’s relevant exceptions, including the "necessity" test and compliance with the rules of international law on state jurisdiction. Moreover, this study focuses on the rules related to the application of trade restrictive measures presented in Article XX’s chapeau. The second part of the thesis focuses on the appropriateness of using trade restrictions and their potential impact on the children whose protection is sought. The research consists in a case study on flower production in Ecuador, a sector characterized by the presence of children working under hazardous conditions and involved in producing goods for export. This sector has not yet been the target of commercial sanctions. Therefore, our research speculates on the effects of hypothetical sanctions and is exploratory in nature. The aim is not to reach firm conclusions about the effects of sanctions, but rather to identify the potentially beneficial or harmful effects that restrictive trade measures might have on exploited children, as well as to assess the potential contribution of such measures in solving the problem.