Brussels 18, 2016
To Excutive Committee Members
For Information to ETUC Members Orgaisaitons
New Skills Agenda”: Improving training opportunities for workers in Europe (ETUC position)
Adopted at the Meeting of the executive committee on the 13th April 2016
Brussels, 15 April 2016
ETUC position paperOrientation for a new EU framework on information, consultation and board-level representation rights (Part I)
Adopted at the extraordinary ETUC Executive Committee on 13 April 2016 in The Hague
Background
Dear President,
At the end of January, we sent a letter to Vice-President Dombrovskis and Commissioner Thyssen to ask for a social partner consultation regarding the proposed targeted revision of the posting of workers directive.
The COP 21 has delivered a universal agreement which will frame the long term action on climate change. The ETUC welcomes that agreement which concludes a long and complex negotiation process. Giving to the world a global instrument to tackle climate change is a major political breakthrough even though, as stressed below, this agreement is in many respects not as ambitious as we would have wished.
China has been a member of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) since 2001 but it is not recognised as a market economy by any of its major trading partners, including the EU and the US. China's WTO Accession Protocol allowed WTO members not to grant “Market Economy Status” (MES) to China for a period up to 11 December 2016.
Not applying MES to China allows the EU to use alternative methods for calculating dumping margins (that apply to Non-Market Economies, NMEs, often based on the higher prices applying in third countries).
ETUC position on single market strategy for Europe
Adopted at the ETUC Executive Committee on 16-17 December 2015
Key points
The conflict between the exercise of fundamental rights and economic freedoms and the development of unfair competition in the single market can no longer be ignored. The ETUC recalls the importance of quality jobs, the principle of equal treatment between all workers at the same workplace and urges the EU institutions to adopt a social progress protocol.
ETUC assessment of the European Commission Work Programme 2016
ETUC position adopted at the ETUC Executive Commitee on the 16-17 December 2015
Introduction
This paper provides an ETUC assessment of the European Commission’s (EC) Work Programme 2016 (WP) No Time for Business as Usual.
Key Issues
Good work-life balance has a positive impact on the well-being of workers. It can also contribute to achieving major EU policy goals: stimulating employment (especially among women and older workers) and growth; promoting children and youth development; and eventually achieving gender equality.
Completing Economic and Monetary Union: Rebalancing European Economic Governance (ETUC position)
Adopted at the ETUC Executive Committee on 16-17 December 2015
Introduction
The Commission Communication of 21 October describes the initiatives the Commission will undertake in stage 1 of the process to deepen EMU. In this stage, the Commission will intensify the use of policy instruments and levers that already exist within the current Treaties in order to improve the functioning of EMU.
ETUC position on the Annual Growth Survey 2016 - for a Europe that works for workers and citizens
Adopted at the ETUC Executive meeting on 28-29 October 2015
Introduction
This document sets out the European trade union movement’s views and priorities for the 2016 Annual Growth Survey and the European Semester. It builds on the comments expressed in the consultation meeting between the European Commission and the European social partners on 23 September 2015.
ETUC position on National Competitiveness Boards
Adopted at the ETUC Executive Committee on 28-29 October 2015
Introduction
On 21 October the Commission adopted a Recommendation for a Council Recommendation requiring euro area member states to establish national Competitiveness Boards. At the level of each (euro area) member state, these boards aim to:
a) monitor competitiveness developments relative to global competitors (including labour costs).
