The future of international labour standards beyond the ILO framework: between trade and human rights

Despite the continued pivotal role of International Labour Organization (ILO) on a global scale and the momentum generated by the post-1998 ILO Declaration, the slowdown in its legislative activity and the criticism directed towards its supervisory bodies, especially in the aftermath of 2012 crisis, have prompted a reassessment of the purpose and approach to international labour standards. Two predominant pathways have emerged for these standards beyond Geneva: firstly, over the past three decades, Free Trade Agreements have incorporated social clauses, ensuring a balanced trade-labour nexus and thereby safeguarding labour standards. Secondly, these standards have become fundamental to the recent development and strengthening of workers’ rights within the Inter-American System of Human Rights. This tailored application of international labour standards, eschewing a one-size-fits-all model, holds the potential to enhance international labour standards beyond the ILO framework.