Brussels, 15/03/2007 Inequalities persist and are getting worse in the European Union, even if it remains the area of least inequality compared with other parts of the world, thanks largely to the widespread existence of social protection systems, public services, the social dialogue and trade unions working to guarantee mutual solidarity.

Brussels, 14/03/2007 The ETUC considers that this report brings the debate on CSR in Europe back onto the right track, recovering elements such as multilateralism, accountability and transparency, which seemed to be lost in the recent work of the Multistakeholder Forum.

Westminster, 12/03/2007 To be checked against delivery JM/cd Chairman, ladies and gentlemen, I am pleased to be invited to the All Party Group on the EU to mark the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome. This is an important anniversary which pro Europeans should use to celebrate the EU and its achievements, and also to make the case for Britain to be a more positive towards the development of the EU. Tonight I ask you to look forward with me at the next 50 years.

Brussels, 12/03/2007

Brussels, 12/03/2007 Also for the first time the employers' European Banking Federation (EBF), through its European Social Affairs Committee President, was involved in negotiations to set up an EWC, and he is a signatory to the final UniCredit agreement. The EBF participated with UNI-Europa - the trade union grouping that is already involved in a number of EWC agreements in sectors like finance, commerce, postal and telecom - national unions and staff representatives and UniCredit management.

Brussels, 08/03/2007 The Tripartite Social Summit takes place each year in advance of the Spring European Council on growth and jobs. Topics on the agenda for the meeting between the social partners, the European Commission, the German EU Presidency, and Portugal and Slovenia (future Presidencies) include flexicurity, knowledge and innovation, better regulation, and energy and climate change.

Brussels, 08/03/2007 The ETUC position on the first stage of the social partners' consultation on the reconciliation of professional, private and family life calls for a number of measures to be put in place at EU level. In particular, the ETUC asks European leaders to: - take up measures to recognise the right to paid parental leave; - improve the maternity protection directive; - step up actions to enhance the availability, quality, accessibility, affordability of care services, especially child care and care for the elderly;

Brussels, 07/03/2007 “With the EU economy showing more robust growth over the last year, there are no longer grounds for claiming that social Europe is an obstacle to competitiveness,” said General Secretary John Monks. “The ETUC calls on EU leaders to send a clear message from the summit that will restore workers' confidence in the European project.” The ETUC urges the Spring Council to:

Brussels, 07/03/2007

Brussels, 06/03/2007 Obviously, our current energy model cannot be sustained in the long run. During a very short period of time, specifically the last two years, we have experienced very concretely the various risks incurred by our energy choices: - first of all, Russia's decision to turn off the gas supplies to Ukraine in December 2005 (and thereby to Western Europe) concentrated the attention of decision-makers on security of energy supply and on the huge potential consequences it may have for individual and industrial consumers.

Brussels, 06/03/2007 To be checked against delivery Ladies and Gentlemen, I am glad to open this conference. I would like to thank the EESC for their support to this event. This conference comes in good time, in view of the Spring Summit which will take place in two days and where heads of states will be asked to take major decisions on the basis of the Commission's proposals contained in the ‘energy and climate change package' recently published by the Commission.

Brussels, 06/03/2007 Services of general interest are acknowledged as one of the pillars of the European Social Model and as such have to be safeguarded and promoted. This is why CEEP and the ETUC have agreed that a European framework on SGEIs is necessary. Accordingly CEEP and the ETUC have proposed the key elements such a framework should include.

Brussels, 05/03/2007 “Airbus is the jewel in the crown of European aviation. This enterprise is the symbol of Europe's capacity to construct itself. It is unacceptable for it to be undergoing such social collapse at this time, and for the workers to be once again paying the price, with 10,000 jobs due to be axed,” declared ETUC General Secretary John Monks.