The member states of the EU have expressed their concerns at the risk that they will have a reduced influence once the future European Labour Authority is up and running, according to a document from the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the EU aimed at the Committee of Permanent Representatives (Coreper), of which EUROPE had sight on Friday 15 June.
The Presidency notes that during the preparatory phase, many questions emerged among the delegations, such as the concern that their competences will be reduced once the seven European bodies have been transferred to the Authority.
Within this framework, the national ambassadors reportedly stressed that the place of establishment of the Authority should have no effect on their scope of competences. They call for the seamless transfer of the responsibilities of the various existing structures to the Authority. The national delegations are concerned, moreover, that the creation of the Authority could lead to extra costs and red tape for the member states.
The delegations also expressed concern at the lack of details on the way the future agency will work and the terms and conditions for common inspections at cross-border level.
The Commission is reported to have told the delegation that these details will be discussed at the consultative group for the European Labour Authority, which has been provided for in the regulation (see EUROPE 11980). The institution took pains to reassure the delegations, stressing that the member states will be represented on the governing board of the Authority, which will be responsible for strategic decisions.
The document further notes that the aim is to reach an agreement under the Austrian Presidency of the EU. (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)