The centre recently launched the 'Be Aware' initiative, aimed at promoting a European legislative framework in favour of good practices against labour exploitation in the agricultural industry across Europe.
While the centre’s report Best practices against work exploitation in agriculture found that illegal workers make up on average 25 per cent of the agricultural sector throughout Europe, they are more present in southern and eastern Europe.
The study indicated that illegal workers in Romania and Portugal represent 40 per cent and 60 per cent respectively of the agricultural sector's workforce in those countries.
Illegal farm workers exceed 25 per cent in Poland and 30 per cent in Italy, while Germany and Austria have an estimated 10 per cent of illegal workers employed in the sector.
In 2016, Italy passed a law designed to crack down on exploitation in the agricultural industry.
However, president of the EP, Antonio Tajani, stressed that the issue cannot only be dealt with at a national level, but must also be addressed at a European level to reaffirm the basic values that the EU was founded on.
Lawmakers have argued that fragmentation of national contexts makes a universal approach to the issue difficult.
Vice-president of the EP's agricultural committee, Paolo De Castro, mentioned that previous attempts to provide funding only to agricultural companies following specific labour standards, as seen with the CAP (Common Agricultural Policy) reforms of agricultural commissioners Franz Fischler and Dacian Ciolos, were unsuccessful.
President of the Italian National Association of Consumers' Coops (ANCC), Stefano Bassi, argued that the introduction of more laws against exploitation is unnecessary as good practices already exist, referring to the ‘Buoni e giusti’, or good and fair, campaign.
Bassi added that suppliers for Coop, the largest grocery chain in Italy, pledge to abide by labour laws and undergo routine checks with the risk of losing their client if they are found to be disregarding workers' rights.
The report cited other examples of good practices, including projects promoted by Catholic charity Caritas in Italy and French regulations which have eliminated illegal work in harvesting.
However, the centre continues to strive for a more collaborative approach within the EU to combat exploitation in the agricultural sector at a continental level.
With ANSA
