Brussels, 28/11/2006

Belgrade, 24/11/2006 To be checked against deliver Delegates, 15 years ¨C this is a long time in a man¡¯s life and a short one in the life of a trade union organisation. But that ¡°Nezavisnost¡± did survive since its founding in 1991 ¨C in the middle of the turbulences of the fall of Yougoslavia ¨C this is a remarkable event in the history of the trade union movement in this country. This is remarkable, mainly because of the following:

Brussels, 22/11/2006 The debacle at Volkswagen's Brussels plant shows that protections for workers are inadequate. Yet in recent years in many member states, labour law reforms have been introduced in the framework of a competitiveness agenda that have promoted two tier labour markets rather than exert more influence on company decisions on employment security. Increasing amounts of workers - often the most vulnerable ones such as women, young workers and migrants - are working under conditions of permanent precarity.

Brussels, 16/11/2006 During a meeting with the representative of the Finnish presidency of the EU, the ETUC and several European trade unions reiterated their desire to have the EU adopt an active position in the post-Kyoto negotiations. At the close of these negotiations, the industrialised countries that ratified the Kyoto Protocol will have to set up new commitments leading to much greater emissions reductions beyond 2012.

Brussels, 15/11/2006

Brussels, 14/11/2006 The ETUC General Secretary first describes this new finance-based capitalism, mainly focused on quick returns, resulting in redundancies and increasing inequalities. The emphasis is put particularly on hedge funds which characterise this new capitalism very well, and present risks for economic stability, traditional industry and jobs.

London, 14/11/2006 Those of you who knew Aneurin Bevan can probably guess his likely reaction to my choice of the title tonight.

Moscow, 14-16/11/2006 To be checked against delivery President, Delegates, Friends. I am glad and honoured to bring you greetings on behalf of the European Trade Union Confederation. Your Congress comes at a time of momentous change in the world trade union Movement. Earlier this month, in Vienna, we saw the birth of a new, united, democratic, International Trade Union Confederation.

Brussels, 13/11/2006 Key points he will stress in the debate with Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson include:

Brussels, 13/11/2006

Helsinki, 10/11/2006 To be checked against delivery I should like first to thank our Finnish affiliates and BASTUN for organising this important meeting, the first, I think at this level, in the context of EU-Russia trade union relations. The commitment of SAK, STTK and AKAVA to involving trade unions in EU foreign policy development is exemplary. Just a few weeks ago, they did us proud in organising a very successful trade union conference with our colleagues from Asia in relation to the ASEM Summit.

Brussels, 10/11/2006 The Finnish Trade Union Confederations organise on 10 November, together with the ETUC and FNPR, a Trade Union Forum, which will present a statement (enclosed) to Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen for transmission to the EU-Russia Summit to be held on 24 November in Helsinki. The Statement stresses the importance of including labour market issues as part of the growing commercial and political relations between the EU and Russia.

Brussels, 08/11/2006 Commenting on this failure, John Monks, ETUC General Secretary, declared: “We regret that there was no progress in Council, as this is yet another signal of Social Europe being stalled. However, we would not have been able to accept just any agreement as “progress”. We would have welcomed an agreement which would have taken on board trade unions concerns”.