ASEAN Seminar: Trade-Labour Ties, Competitiveness Rise
ASEAN officials and labor representatives met in Bali to discuss integrating fundamental labor rights into trade and supply-chain policies. The seminar focused on the challenges of maintaining competitiveness while meeting evolving international ESG and regulatory standards.
Why it matters
As global trade requirements tighten, ASEAN nations are under pressure to align their labor practices with international standards to remain competitive in export markets.
Stronger implementation of fundamental labour rights could help ASEAN economies respond to rapidly evolving trade and supply-chain requirements while supporting sustainable competitiveness. The Governments, workers' and employers' organizations from across ASEAN have highlighted the growing importance of labour rights to trade, investment and sustainable competitiveness, as evolving requirements in markets create new opportunities and challenges for South-East Asian economies.
Hosted by the Ministry of Manpower of the Republic of Indonesia and endorsed by the ASEAN Senior Labour Officials Meeting (SLOM), the regional seminar was held in Bali, Indonesia, on 9-10 September 2026. ASEAN's tripartite constituents discussed how labour provisions in free trade agreements (FTAs), responsible business conduct, supply-chain due diligence and environmental, social and governance requirements are increasingly shaping trade and labour policy across the region.
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