Brussels, 10/03/2011 (Agence Europe) - In a statement on Thursday 10 March in Strasbourg on behalf of the Commission on respect of national salary and pension mechanisms, Johannes Hahn said the Commission recognised the importance of social dialogue. With regard to the case of Ireland, the regional policy commissioner said:
(1) The Commission has not compelled Ireland to reduce its social spending or its minimum wage. These measures had been presented by the former Irish government in its recovery plan, with measures aimed at economic stability, growth and job creation. On the legal basis of economic policy conditions (Art. 3§5 of Regulation 407/2010 setting in place the financial stability mechanism, Art. 2§2 of the decision granting EU financial assistance to Ireland, Art. 122§2 of the TFEU), the fact that the memorandum fixes economic conditions affecting several social policy conditions does not bring the question of the legal basis into question.
(2) There is no contradiction between Art. 152 (which is a general provision that does not rule out it being necessary to implement specific measures with social consequences, and this does not create subjective rights for social partners), or with Art. 153§5 (which is limited compared to measures that can be adopted in the context of Art. 153 social policy - and this limit does not apply). It is true that social policy cannot be neglected. It must be taken into account. This does not mean that no measures can be adopted under Article 122. Measures adopted in accordance with this Article for Ireland do not resolve the problem but guarantee the conditions for Community aid and that is very precisely what Art.122§2 of the TFEU says. There is no legal problem regarding the legal basis retained.
(3) The same is true for social policy relating to salaries and for many policies that fall within the competence of member states. Economic policy conditions mean commitments by countries with the EU and IMF in exchange for financing from these two institutions. (G.B./transl.jl)