Brussels, 18/03/2014 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament intends to oppose the Council of the EU over the addition of a statement to the draft regulation setting up a European Employment Services network (EES), which would stipulate that participation in this network is voluntary.
MEPs are arguing for “creative ambiguity”, in the words of the chairperson of the employment and social affairs committee at the European Parliament, Pervenche Berès (S&D, France) on Tuesday 18 March, of the compromise reached during the inter-institutional negotiations (see EUROPE 11009). This compromise does not effectively establish whether participation in this network will be compulsory or not. According to Berès, Parliament should not agree to this declaration being attached to be regulation because it involves a unilateral Council initiative, without the consultation of Parliament and seeks to “influence the legal interpretation” of the text. (JK)