Brussels, 03/12/2013 The Executive Committee of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) today considered worrying developments in Ukraine and condemned the violent repression of demonstrators in Kiev. They expressed regret that the conditions were not right for the partnership agreement with the EU to be concluded in Vilnius on 29 November 2013.

Brussels, 15/11/2011 Following a decision in the United States to open such an investigation, the ETUC urges Karel De Gucht and Catherine Ashton, to take action that will lead the Georgian authorities to understand that concrete progress on labour rights is now essential if they are to hope to develop their relations with the European Union. The ETUC also calls on the High representative to raise the issue during her visit to the country this week. - ETUC letter

Brussels, 08/04/2009

Brussels, 12/08/2008 The UN's High Commission on Refugees estimates that more than 100,000 persons are refugees, with some 42,000 South Ossetians having been displaced into Russia or within South Ossetia and around 56,000 inhabitants of the city of Gori having been displaced to elsewhere in Georgia. A complete cessation of fighting opens the possibility for dialogue to bring an end to the dispute, and the international community must do all it can to help create the conditions for this dialogue.

Brussels, 11/08/2008 "We call upon all parties involved to observe an immediate and total cease-fire, and enter negotiations to bring an end to the conflict and to resolve the underlying issues which have led to it," said ITUC General Secretary Guy Ryder.

Brussels, 08/08/2008 Georgia has announced a full mobilisation of its military, and its troops are reportedly involved in fighting in the South Ossetian capital Tskhinvali. Russia and Georgia have each accused the other of aggressive actions as the situation has deteriorated. Emergency discussions at the UN Security Council on Thursday night ended without agreement on a Russian-proposed statement.

Brussels, 21/12/2006 The trade union movement has been campaigning for this action, at international, European and national level, since 2003. An International Labour Organization (ILO) Commission of Inquiry in 2004 called on Belarus to stop the harassment of trade unions and guarantee freedom of association and the right to organise. This has not happened, and the ETUC and ITUC welcome the European Commission's call to Member States to exclude Belarus from EU Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) trade benefits.

Belgrade, 24/11/2006 To be checked against deliver Delegates, 15 years ¨C this is a long time in a man¡¯s life and a short one in the life of a trade union organisation. But that ¡°Nezavisnost¡± did survive since its founding in 1991 ¨C in the middle of the turbulences of the fall of Yougoslavia ¨C this is a remarkable event in the history of the trade union movement in this country. This is remarkable, mainly because of the following:

Moscow, 14-16/11/2006 To be checked against delivery President, Delegates, Friends. I am glad and honoured to bring you greetings on behalf of the European Trade Union Confederation. Your Congress comes at a time of momentous change in the world trade union Movement. Earlier this month, in Vienna, we saw the birth of a new, united, democratic, International Trade Union Confederation.

Helsinki, 10/11/2006 To be checked against delivery I should like first to thank our Finnish affiliates and BASTUN for organising this important meeting, the first, I think at this level, in the context of EU-Russia trade union relations. The commitment of SAK, STTK and AKAVA to involving trade unions in EU foreign policy development is exemplary. Just a few weeks ago, they did us proud in organising a very successful trade union conference with our colleagues from Asia in relation to the ASEM Summit.

Brussels, 10/11/2006 The Finnish Trade Union Confederations organise on 10 November, together with the ETUC and FNPR, a Trade Union Forum, which will present a statement (enclosed) to Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen for transmission to the EU-Russia Summit to be held on 24 November in Helsinki. The Statement stresses the importance of including labour market issues as part of the growing commercial and political relations between the EU and Russia.