EU Emphasizes Rights for Delivery Workers: Hung Shen-han Says Taiwan's Legislative Approach Aligns with International Conventions [Exclusive Interview]

Central News Agency Report

(CNA reporter Wu Po-wei, Brussels, 17th) The 7th Taiwan-EU Labor Consultation Conference was held today. Minister of Labor Hung Shen-han stated that Taiwan's legislative approach to the Special Act on Delivery Worker Rights Protection and Delivery Platform Management (Delivery Special Act) closely aligns with the objectives of international labor conventions. As global efforts intensify against forced labor, the government is comprehensively strengthening labor human rights protections and assisting enterprises in reducing trade risks, transforming challenges into international competitiveness.

On the 17th, Minister Hung led a delegation to Brussels to attend the 7th Taiwan-EU Labor Consultation Conference and gave an exclusive interview to CNA.

Taiwan's 'Special Act on Delivery Worker Rights Protection and Delivery Platform Management' was passed by the Legislative Yuan in January and promulgated by the President. It is scheduled to officially take effect on July 21. This conference focused on in-depth discussions regarding digital platform economy issues.

Hung pointed out that labor challenges arising from the platform economy are global, not unique to Taiwan. Recently, the International Labour Conference (ILC) in Geneva, Switzerland, adopted a convention addressing labor rights in the platform economy. After cross-referencing, Hung noted that many provisions of Taiwan's Delivery Special Act align closely with the ILC convention, including delivery workers' pay protection, appeal and clarification mechanisms for account suspensions, transparency in algorithmic data collection, occupational safety and health requirements during deliveries, and social insurance—specifically emphasized in the ILC convention.

Hung revealed that during this consultation meeting, experts from the European Commission's Directorate-General for Employment (DG EMPL) and several participating countries highly commended Taiwan for enacting the Delivery Special Act and implementing more detailed measures.

In response to practical experiences shared by countries such as the Netherlands and Lithuania on transposing EU directives into national laws, Hung noted that nations are striving to balance worker protection with maintaining industrial innovation and flexibility when regulating the platform economy.

Hung emphasized that both the EU and the international community stress 'multilateral social dialogue.' Understanding and communication among stakeholders—including platforms, platform workers (e.g., delivery riders), and consumers—help find common ground and consensus on complex issues.

Beyond the platform economy, global supply chains facing 'forced labor' were another key focus of this Taiwan-EU Labor Consultation Conference.

Hung stated that forced labor is no longer merely a human rights issue but also a significant trade risk. As Taiwan plays an increasingly important role in global supply chains, more countries will scrutinize Taiwanese suppliers against international standards. Therefore, by fulfilling its responsibilities, Taiwan can enhance corporate trust and competitiveness internationally. Indeed, domestic companies have already informed the Ministry of Labor that robust human rights protections genuinely strengthen competitiveness and build trust.

Regarding the government's role, Hung outlined two key tasks: first, assisting enterprises in aligning with international standards to reduce trade risks; second, helping industries control and minimize costs arising from such alignment.

He explained that past experiences show that effectively preventing forced labor does not necessarily lead to significant cost increases. The Ministry of Labor plans to achieve this through concrete measures such as 'transparency in foreign recruitment fees,' 'streamlining procedures,' and 'enhancing evaluation of labor intermediaries.'

Hung added that the Ministry published the 'Reference Guidelines for Enterprises to Prevent Forced Labor' on February 13 this year—a cross-ministerial effort requiring close coordination with the Ministry of Economic Affairs. Addressing labor human rights while reducing trade-related risks and uncertainties is a matter of high priority for the current administration.

Now in its 7th year, the Taiwan-EU Labor Consultation Conference represents a mechanism that Hung acknowledged as invaluable amid Taiwan's challenges in international participation. Reaching its 7th iteration signifies that the EU views Taiwan as a significant long-term partner in labor affairs.

Hung emphasized that cooperation between Taiwan and the EU has evolved beyond information exchange into substantive collaboration. For example, this week, a Ministry of Labor delegation visited Bilbao, Spain, to meet with the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA). In fact, last year's disaster reduction plan by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration referenced EU practices in risk assessment and risk management.

Hung noted that last year, Mario Nava, Director-General of the EU's DG EMPL, led a delegation to Taiwan, and this year Hung reciprocated with a visit to Brussels. The increasing level of these meetings reflects deepening cooperation.

He stressed that more labor issues are being raised for discussion—platform economy, forced labor, and AI's impact on employment markets—indicating these are no longer domestic concerns but global challenges arising from international supply chains. Thus, Taiwan's labor policy planning and implementation must align internationally. Through such platforms, Taiwan not only learns from EU experiences but also gains international visibility and recognition for its legislative innovations. (Editor: Tien Jui-hua) 1150618