Juncker slams EU-China deal as ‘cheap’ on labor standards

Former EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker on Monday slammed the EU-China investment agreement as being too weak on labor standards, describing Chinese commitments under the deal as “cheap.”

The long-delayed investment pact was agreed between Brussels and Beijing in December but faced immediate criticism from European lawmakers and others for not including binding commitments on workers’ rights. MEPs have threatened not to ratify the deal over Beijing’s human rights abuses.

“I spent a very long time trying to conclude this investment agreement with the Chinese president, with the Chinese prime minister. And this always ultimately failed because of the question of whether the Chinese, as others have been, would be prepared to sign the International Labour Organization conventions and bring them to life,” said Juncker, speaking in Brussels at a virtual event organized by the German state of Baden-Württemberg.

“We must not make any compromises on this. To say ‘best efforts,’ that’s cheap,” Juncker said, referring to a crucial clause in the deal, which commits Beijing to “make continued and sustained efforts” to pursue the ratification of two fundamental International Labour Organization norms: the Forced Labor Convention (C029) and the Abolition of Forced Labor Convention (C105).

“They should sign and ratify the labor conventions,” Juncker said.

The former Commission president also said he “would have liked that we reach an understanding with the Americans,” referring to critical remarks by Jake Sullivan, the national security adviser to U.S. President Joe Biden, who had urged the EU in December to consult with the new U.S. administration before finalizing the deal.

“I’m not at all of the opinion that Europe should only pursue an American-driven China policy, but so shortly before the new administration takes office, I hope that the Commission … held talks with the new administration before signing this agreement,” Juncker said, before then defending the Commission: “I actually have no doubt that it proceeded prudently [in this regard].”