Brussels, 16/06/2016 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 16 June, EU employment ministers meeting in Luxembourg held two debates, one of which reached a high level of consensus on the recommendations from the member states on socio-economic matters. The other debate was held with persisting disagreements on the issue of posted workers.
The first debate took place as part of the 2016 European semester process and reached a high level of consensus compared to previous years. Like the opinions expressed by Poland and Slovenia, many ministers also expressed their satisfaction at seeing the number of recommendations decline at a general level.
This year, almost half of the European Commission recommendations (114) involve employment and social policy, with a priority on skills, education and training, as well as proactive labour market policies. This new approach was also welcomed by Germany and Hungary. Several ministers appreciated the fact that the European Commission put less emphasis on pension systems and extending the retirement age. Only Bulgaria indicated that one of the recommendations addressed to it was “unacceptable”. It said that it did not want to increase the guaranteed minimum wage because this would have little effect and would destabilise its budget.
With regard to implementation of the recommendations, opinions were much more varied between the European institutions. Although the Dutch Presidency of the Council welcomed the progress made in this area, the Commission stressed that further efforts needed to be made. Commission vice president Valdis Dombrovskis pointed out that progress had been only limited and partial. He referred to Ireland, Spain, Portugal and the Baltic countries as successful examples where the efficient implementation of structural reforms had had a positive effect on improving these countries' socio-economic health.
The second debate focused on the proposal for a revision of the 1996 directive on the posting of workers and achieved much less consensus, with a relatively pronounced rift between eastern and western member states, as previously witnessed (see EUROPE 11560). Ministers approved the Presidency's progress report, which mainly demonstrated that there had not been any progress (see EUROPE 11572). Employment, social affairs, skills and labour mobility commissioner, Marianne Thyssen, reasserted that she was preparing a response to the “yellow card” some time in July. She also had to face further criticism again from several member states (Romania, Czech Republic and Latvia), as well as direct appeals to withdraw a proposal, as expressed by Hungary, Poland and Lithuania. Denmark, whose Parliament participated in the “yellow card” procedure, showed that it was open to compromise. (Original version in French bv Jan Kordys)