ETUC Position on the conclusions of the Conference on the Future of Europe and the follow-up, including a Convention Adopted at the Executive Committee Meeting of 22-23 June 2022 SHORT SUMMARY: The ETUC has engaged in the Conference on the Future of Europe to put Social Europe at the center of the discussions. The ETUC considers the conclusions of the Conference on the Future of Europe an ambitious and important roadmap to define a fairer and more social future of Europe.

The ETUC expresses its concern at the lack of progress on the adoption of a minimum level of taxation, which is another illustration of the need to get rid of the unanimity requirement in Council. The ETUC has welcomed the EU proposal as a timid but important first step in reducing the most damaging corporate tax practices in the EU. In addition to depleted public budgets, we underline the disastrous impact of corporate tax avoidance on employment. Hiding corporate profits in tax havens stands in the way of fair wages and sustainable business.

Initial comments The ETUC welcomes the upcoming European Commission initiative on forced labour and the opportunity to give input to this Call for evidence. The ETUC intends to come back to the European Commission with further details about the initiative at a later stage.

Brussels, 16 June 2022 Dear Ambassador, I am contacting you in relation to the Women on Boards Directive following the meeting of the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council on 16 June 2022. The ETUC welcomes the progress made on the Women On Boards Directive, after ten years of non-action and blockage. The adoption of the agreement will hopefully clear the path for many women into key decision-making positions throughout the European Union.  

The following letter is a joint plea of organisations of self-employed workers and trade unions, which has been sent to the French Labour Minister in view of the progress report discussion of EPSCO Council of today, calling on the European institutions for an effective Directive on improving working conditions in platform work. Our demands are the following.

The ETUC and its General Secretary, Luca Visentini sends its full support for the general strike of the UGTT (Tunisia) taking place on 16 June 2022, in particular their demands for

In reaction to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and its consequences on energy markets, the European Commission adopted today its REPower EU Plan. ETUC welcomes the overall objectives of this proposal and strongly supports the willingness of the Commission to reduce EU’s energy dependency towards Russia. Reducing our energy imports is of primary importance if we want to increase pressure on Putin’s autocratic regime to put an end to its illegal war.

A renewed transatlantic cooperation on trade has to deliver for working people. This concept paper outlines key features we would want to form the framework of the EU-US Trade and Technology Council (TTC). The Biden-Harris Administration put on high priority a worker-centred trade policy in the US and the ETUC believes this is now also an opportunity to change the trade paradigm in Europe.

Ahead of the May 15–16 ministerial meeting of the U.S.–E.U. Trade and Technology Council (TTC), trade unions call on the U.S. government and the European Union Commission to deepen trans-Atlantic cooperation and deliver meaningful results for workers on both sides of the Atlantic.

Dear Commissioner Dalli, I am contacting you with regard to sexual and reproductive health and rights of refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine, seeking protection in European Member states and neighbouring countries.

9 years after the Rana Plaza disaster, workers in Europe and in the world cannot wait any longer: the ETUC calls for zero tolerance for doing business in breach of human rights  Why? Because labour is not a commodity: workers’ life and security should not be negotiated nor put at risk by business models! 

Dear High Representative, The situation for independent trade unions in Belarus has seriously deteriorated. On 19 April 2022, the leadership of the Belarusian Congress of Trade Unions (BKDP) - the President of BKDP Aliaksandr Yarashuk, BKDP Vice-President Siarhei Antusevich, President of Free Trade Union of Metal Workers (SPM) Aliaksandr Bukhvostau, President of Free Trade Union of Belarus (SPB) Mikalaj Sharakh - were arrested.

ETUC calls on MEPs to vote in favour of the European Parliament’s mandate to enter into inter-institutional negotiations on the Gender Pay Transparency Directive Brussels, 1 April 2022            To: Members of the European Parliament Dear Member of the European Parliament, I am contacting you to urge you to vote in favour of the European Parliament’s mandate to enter into trilogue negotiations.

ETUC Position for an EU Social Taxonomy of Sustainable Investments Adopted at the virtual Executive Committee Meeting of 16-17 March 2022

The European Commission published today its first circular economy package that aims at making sustainable products the norm in the EU, boosting circular business models and empowering consumers for the green transition.

ETUC Position on Equipping workers with necessary skills for the green transition Adopted at the ETUC Executive Committee meeting of 16-17 March 2022 Background

ETUC Position on preventing the use of Shell Entities Adopted at the virtual Executive Committee Meeting of 16-17 March 2022 Key messages

ETUC Position on the next generation of own resources for the EU Budget Adopted at the virtual Executive Committee Meeting of 16-17 March 2022 Summary

European Year of Youth – Empowering young workers through actions ETUC Resolution adopted at the Executive Committee meeting of 16-17 March 2022