The 2nd ASEM (Asia-Europe Meeting) Labour and Employment Ministers` Conference, which concluded in Bali, Indonesia, on 15 October 2008, emphasised the importance of the ASEM process as a platform for dialogue and cooperation between European Union and Asia. The two-day conference, attended by 13 Ministers of Labour and Employment and officials from 35 Asian and European member states held discussions under the theme  `More and Better Jobs—Strategic Cooperation and Partnership to Promote Decent Work and Global Labour Markets for Mutual Benefits`.

The conference touched upon the compelling issues of labour and employment in Asia and Europe and underlined the necessity for strategic cooperation between Asia and Europe to promote decent work and global labour markets for the benefit of its partners.

The participating ministers sought concrete steps to strengthen the social dimension of globalisation and promote decent work for all. Three separate working groups—Training and Employability; Labour Migration; and Social Protection—were formed to discuss issues relating to the main theme.

The working group on Social Protection was chaired by India, which was represented by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Oscar Fernandes. The working group, in its recommendation, said that the informal sector workers have to be covered in the net of social protection. It said that new legislation, imaginative schemes and sharing of best practices can help enhance social protection for the labour force in the world.

The social protection working group headed by Fernandes also underlined that social protection and labour security are inseparable and should be viewed as an investment in the economy. The group also noted that the laws of the free market are not enough. Corporate Social Responsibility, therefore, assumes a greater role and it needs to be strongly emphasised in the common vision for the social security.

The Social Protection group also recommended that the member countries should prepare country-specific Social Protection Programmes to ensure that workers get respectable levels of social protection, better health care and educational facilities that enhance their skills through training.

The two-day conference in its declaration resolved to promote decent work for all and reiterated its resolve to use the ASEM dialogue and other appropriate channels to improve core labour standards. It also committed itself to take action aimed at fighting poverty and inequality in all countries irrespective of the level of income.