Brussels, 04/06/2013 (Agence Europe) - After two days of action in the Council in November 2012 and February 2013, then four days in May 2013, it is the officials from all the institutions who will be on strike this Wednesday 5 June. “Other actions will follow so long as the member states continue to want a weakening of Europe”, states a Union Syndicale press release published on Tuesday 4 June (see EUROPE 10858 on the announcement of this interinstitutional strike by European officials).
The press release states that the Committee of Permanent Representatives (Coreper) has adopted - ahead of trialogue negotiations (Council, Parliament and Commission) - “a position (…) which would result in deterioration in the conditions of work and pay of European officials of such a nature that it reveals that the objectives of certain member states is to weaken the European Civil Service and in the process impede European construction to make the European Union into a free-trade area, so that it would not be able to face up to the big world powers”. The Union Syndicale, moreover, considers it surprising that the agreement reached at European Council level (8 February) should be called into question by some of the member states. The heads of state and government provided for an additional reduction of €1.5 billion in administrative spending, particularly through a two-year freeze on salaries.
The three institutions have been negotiating since mid-May and very much want to reach an agreement in June. “While it seems certain that the Parliament and Commission will not accept all the Council demands, it may nonetheless be feared that the result of the negotiations will be significantly more negative than the agreement reached at the European Council level”, the officials say with concern. (LC/transl.fl)