Control Yuan Highlights Gap Between Taiwan's Labor Rights and Global Standards; Labor Ministry Pledges Legal Review

(Central News Agency, Reporter Wu Hsin-yun, Taipei, 23rd) Last year, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued a Withhold Release Order against the bicycle manufacturer Giant Group. Today, the Control Yuan pointed out that a gap exists between Taiwan's labor human rights regulations and international standards, urging the Ministry of Labor to review and improve the situation. The Ministry of Labor stated that it will continuously review regulations to align with international norms.

Major bicycle manufacturer Giant Machinery was hit with a Withhold Release Order (WRO) by the US CBP last year due to allegations of forced migrant labor. This sent shockwaves through Taiwan's industry and demonstrated that the international community is placing greater emphasis on Taiwan's protection of labor and human rights.

The Control Yuan passed an investigation report noting the disparity between Taiwan's labor human rights systems and international standards, prompting the Ministry of Labor to make improvements. Control Yuan Member Wang Yu-ling stated today that enterprises must abandon the mindset of "cheap migrant labor," as recruitment costs should be borne entirely by the employers.

In response, the Ministry of Labor acknowledged the rapid evolution of human rights governance standards in global supply chains. Major trading partners in Europe and the Americas have successively incorporated the International Labour Organization's (ILO) forced labor indicators into labor human rights regulations for corporate due diligence. Notably, the U.S. has initiated reviews on 60 economies regarding the prohibition of goods produced by forced labor, and the EU's "Forced Labour Regulation" (FLR) will be fully implemented by December 2027.

The Ministry of Labor stated it takes this trend seriously and issued the "Corporate Anti-Forced Labor Reference Guidelines" in February. These guidelines translate the ILO's 11 forced labor indicators—such as debt bondage, withholding of wages, and abusive living conditions—into practical, operational tools. Through a "Five-Dimension" action framework and "Four Core Tools," it guides enterprises to extend their management from internal operations to the entire supply chain, encompassing risk self-assessment to help companies align with global human rights governance frameworks.

Furthermore, the Ministry of Labor noted that under global supply chain governance trends, the risk level of fair migrant worker recruitment directly impacts a company's market position and reputation, whether they are brand owners or supply chain vendors. Collaborating with the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the Ministry of Labor has been conducting inter-ministerial advocacy and on-site guidance since March. This assists enterprises in transforming compliance requirements into competitive advantages, jointly bolstering Taiwan's positive image in international sustainable supply chains.

The Ministry also revealed plans to amend relevant provisions, such as Articles 5 and 40 of the Employment Service Act, to comprehensively prohibit employers or brokers from retaining workers' passports, work permits, and other identity documents, as well as collecting deposits. This ensures compliance with international norms. The Ministry will continue gathering information on international regulations and deliberate on amending relevant labor laws in a timely manner to ensure domestic systems align with global standards. (Editor: Kuan Chung-wei) 1150423