Brussels, 26/10/2007 The ETUC hopes that the EU-Africa Summit in December will pursue this structured strategic partnership. The main concern of trade union organisations is to ensure that trade, development, social and foreign policies go hand in hand and do not contradict each other. “This the reason why we have been particularly attentive to the inclusion of sustainable development chapters in every EU trade agreement. And sustainable development naturally includes social as well as environmental factors”, declared Maria Helena André”.

Brussels, 26/10/2007 Many trade union leaders from both Africa and Europe are concerned by the minimal attention that the Joint Strategy devotes to labour issues and decent work. This lack of interest from EU and AU leaders is hard to understand as the creation of more and better jobs is a common aspiration of peoples from both Europe and Africa.

Lisbon, 26-27/10/2007 To be checked against delivery I would like, first, to thank the Portuguese Presidency for having initiated this conference, and also the Commission and our affiliates in Portugal, UGTP and CGTP-IN, for their help and support. We hope that this meeting sets a precedent and that if, as we hope, the EU-Africa Summit in December decides to pursue an ambitious and well-structured Strategic Partnership, then such trade union meetings will become a regular part of it.

Brussels, 23/10/2007 The ETUC is in favour of a comprehensive policy at EU level on migration, integration and development, offering legal channels for migration at all skills levels, while at the same time rigorously applying and enforcing labour standards and guaranteeing equal treatment with local workers.

London, 23/10/2007 Chairman, ladies and gentleman, few words can cause so much alarm in the hearts and minds of many trade unionists as 'globalisation'. It conveys a range of meanings, mostly negative. The first meaning is of jobs emigrating to cheap locations.

Brussels, 23/10/2007 “Few words can cause so much alarm in the hearts and minds of many trade unionists as globalisation,” he admitted. Its impacts include relocation of jobs to cheaper locations, large-scale migration of workers, and the rising power of financial capitalism. Together, these contribute to a growing disillusionment with politics – seen as powerless in the face of the global market.

Brussels, 22/10/2007 The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) continues to be concerned about the process used to conclude the agreement which largely excluded the social partners and many others. We continue too to be concerned about the reduced status of the Charter of Fundamental Rights (compared to the old draft constitutional treaty) and continuing doubts about its degree of legal enforceability on Member States. We also deplore the opt-out by the UK (the new Polish Government appear to be withdrawing its opt-out).

Brussels, 19/10/2007 - To complement job protection systems with employment security measures, thereby recognising that employment security can only be negotiated and secured if there is robust job protection. - To tackle precarious work by improving job protection for vulnerable workers, not by making all contracts insecure. - To review the design of labour law with a view to promoting stable employment contracts and relationships and sustainable labour market practice, instead of reducing the level of protection.

Brussels, 18/10/2007 1. The ETUC regrets the unambitious nature of much of the EU Reform Treaty. There was a real opportunity to revive social Europe by extending qualified majority voting and by extending the competences of the Union to control the dark side of globalisation and rampant financial capitalism. What we have instead is a series of modest adjustments to the EU’s framework of rules, which will have only a limited impact on the process of deepening Europe’s capacity to act decisively in the world.

Brussels, 18/10/2007 ETUC General Secretary John Monks welcomed the social partners' joint analysis. The ETUC supports its central message that the challenge facing the European labour market is not only to create more jobs. The challenge is also to create better jobs, to offer more security for workers in a labour market that is already very flexible, and to ensure improvements in employment and growth are accompanied by greater social cohesion and less inequality.

Brussels, 16/10/2007 "A veto would be an excuse to avoid some awkward domestic politics, a gesture of weakness and not the act of the strong, serious statesman that I believe Gordon Brown to be," warns John Monks. "Sign that modest treaty, and let's get on with building the EU into a vehicle for controlling globalisation and for negotiating toughly with the world superpowers on trade, on environment and - yes - on social rights, in a way European nations, acting individually, simply cannot do."

Brussels, 16/10/2007 The exclusion of oil and gas from the scope of the new sanctions means that the major source of foreign finance for the junta will remain basically intact. The previous EU bans have been extended to include a ban on European exports to Burma of equipment for the metal, timber, minerals and gemstone sectors, as well as import and investment prohibitions covering these sectors.

Brussels, 16/10/2007 European trade union leaders will debate issues that feature also on the Social Summit agenda, such as flexicurity in the European labour market, and the reform treaty. The Executive will also discuss a policy statement on the recent turmoil in world financial markets.