A three-member European delegation is scheduled to come to Dhaka on Sunday on a five-day visit to review the labour situation and reform programs in Bangladesh.
The two parties will discuss the implementation progress and future course of action of the National Action Plan on Labour announced in 2021.
Secretaries of foreign affairs, Labour and employment and commerce ministries will jointly hold the main meeting with the delegation.
An official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said: "The EU is a development partner for labour conditions in Bangladesh. We will discuss the progress of the National Action Plan Roadmap with its time-based targets."
The targets include labour inspection, hiring labour inspectors, factory improvements, labour union registration, addressing discrimination, fair labour practices, eliminating child labour, and other concerns.
Besides, he said, violence against workers will also be discussed.
When asked whether the EU delegation is coming to Dhaka for the ongoing labour movement, he said: "This visit was scheduled long ago."
He said the delegation will meet with the commerce minister and the state ministers for foreign affairs and labour.
GSP facility
Bangladesh will have duty-free access to the European market till 2029. Besides, the government has already requested to extend that period for another three years.
Regarding this, another official said: "The EU provides duty-free access for three years when a country transitions from the least developed list. We are in talks with the European Commission to possibly extend this facility to six years, benefiting all LDCs."
It has already been decided that the old GSP will remain in force for the next four years till 2027, as negotiations for the introduction of the new GSP from January 1, 2024, are not over.
He said that Bangladesh will continue the discussion on the GSP Plus facility during that period.
