The Department of Labor’s Bureau of International Labor Affairs is requesting public comments on labor capacity-building efforts under the CAFTA-DR free trade agreement. Comments are due no later than Nov. 16.
The DOL is required to report biennially to Congress on the progress made by CAFTA-DR countries in implementing (1) the labor obligations and labor capacity-building provisions found in the labor chapter and annex 16.5 of the agreement and (2) the recommendations contained in a white paper entitled “The Labor Dimension in Central America and the Dominican Republic—Building on Progress: Strengthening Compliance and Enhancing Capacity.”
To help prepare that report ILAB is seeking comments on the following topics.
- capacity-building efforts by the U.S. government envisaged by article 16.5 of the CAFTA-DR labor chapter and annex 16.5
- efforts by the U.S. government to facilitate full implementation of the white paper recommendations and other matters related to the CAFTA-DR labor chapter
- efforts made by CAFTA-DR countries to comply with article 16.5 and annex 16.5 and to fully implement the white paper’s recommendations, including progress made in affording workers internationally-recognized worker rights through improved capacity
ILAB states that its upcoming report will consolidate reporting periods to cover Feb. 29, 2020, through Oct. 31, 2023. In addition, as this will be the final iteration of this report, ILAB is accepting comments on the implementation of labor obligations in all six partner countries under the CAFTA-DR labor chapter since the white paper was initially published in April 2005.
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