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:
- Put 'job quality' at the top of the European policy agenda. Precarious work and segmented labour markets are undermining social cohesion, innovation and productivity. The troika of Labour Ministers from the current and future presidencies should undertake a review of the quality of work in Europe, to be presented and discussed by the end of this year, with a view to preparing new policy initiatives to promote 'good jobs' under the Portuguese EU Presidency.
- Introduce a 'two-handed' economic policy to push down unemployment and boost the productive potential of the labour force, for example through training for jobless workers and affordable care facilities to make it easier to combine work and family.
- Reform the new Lisbon process to enhance social dialogue and social partnership, by creating structures to give employers and trade unions an ongoing input in the formulation of national action programmes.
- Initiate a new European energy strategy, prioritising secure and sustainable energy sources rather than a simple liberalisation agenda.
Current levels of poverty in Europe are unacceptable, says the ETUC. Greater efforts to eradicate poverty and improve social cohesion across the enlarged EU must be an urgent priority. And in the context of globalisation, European business needs to take on a fair share of the burden of adjustment.
Attached: Letter to EU leaders and annexes
- John Monks'speech
