Social package weak in face of economic crisis, MEPs worry
LUCIA KUBOSOVA
02.09.2008 @ 18:20 CET
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - While recent economic statistics suggest the European Union is at risk of recession likely to affect jobs, members of the European Parliament were divided in their reaction to the Brussels' social policy package aiming to improve the work conditions of employees.
The EU executive presented to the parliament its list of 18 legislative work and employee-protection measures on Tuesday (2 September) following a first informal debate about the dossier by social policy ministers in Chantilly, France, in early July.
MEPs in political clash over the EU's social policy package (Photo: European Parliament)
"It is an ambitious package that aims to offer practical responses to citizens concerned about their jobs and to help them improve their living conditions," said the EU social policy commissioner Vladimir Spidla.
For his part, Xavier Bertrand, French minister for employment and social affairs told parliamentarians that Paris as the current holder of the EU's six-month rotating presidency plans to "tackle at the outset the question of the European social agenda, by coming up with practical measures."
But MEPs differed in their views on what exactly should form a part of Europe's joint social policy, with some deputies criticising the proposed plan for being vague rather than practical.
"Europe is governed by the right, and so is aiming in the wrong direction - and that has to be corrected in the European elections," said German leader of the European Socialists Martin Schultz, referring to elections to the EU assembly set for June next year.
"Amidst worldwide competition, from Beijing to Brisbane, we can only stand our ground if the EU's internal market is developed," Mr Schultz admitted. But he stressed: "We have to create a European added value that everyone benefits from."
"The social package is too little too late in the face of the precariousness and inequalities produced by the economic crisis that is hitting employees and numerous European citizens daily," said Harlem Desir, the Socialist group's vice-president for social questions.
Similarly, members of the leftist GUE/NGL pressed for more resolute measures at the EU level to tackle the worsening social situation of the most vulnerable citizens.
"We see an increase in the number of jobs that people cannot make a living from and this is not a trend that Europe should be following," commented German MEP Gabi Zimmer.
"The Social Package does not indicate any progress in collective bargaining or social rights. Our group rejects this package because it is vague and is heading in the wrong direction," she added.
In a reply from the opposite political corner, British Conservative Philip Bushill-Matthews said that "The best social policy for Europe is one that creates opportunities and jobs," accusing the left-leaning parties of becoming part of the problem, rather than the solution due to the gap between their rhetoric and the reality.
The central-right is the strongest political force in Europe, "because the people have decided it," he added.
Transnational social dialogue
Patients' rights and a new anti-discrimination bill have so far attracted the most attention in the basket of tabled policies, but the social agenda also includes specific ideas on how to help Roma people, as well as a proposal on works councils, which currently operate in 820 major firms and cover some 14.5 million employees.
Brussels argues the role of works councils in big multinational companies should be strengthened, so as to help foster "transnational social dialogue in large enterprises, to improve corporate governance and to anticipate and manage change in a socially responsible way."
It is expected that all major legislative measures will face a tough debate across the EU institutions before they see the light of the day, with some deputies already linking the bill on patients' rights with the hotly disputed services directive.
The health proposal means bringing Bolkestein in through the back door, argued Greek leftist MEP Dimitrios Papadimoulis (GUE/NGL), referring to the ex-European commissioner's controversial proposal adopted in 2006 on the liberalisation of services.