The EPP - Group of the European People's Party (Christian Democrats) of the European Parliament was due to decide on Tuesday evening, 13 November, whether to request confirmation in plenary session, on Thursday 15 November, of the negotiating mandate given to Enrique Calvet Chambon (ALDE, Spain) to negotiate the directive on transparent and predictable working conditions with the EU Council.
The request was expected because of the original nature of the majority built by the Liberal MEP on a base drawn from the radical left to the centre right, and against the position of the EPP shadow rapporteur, the German Dennis Radtke.
He would need to bring together 76 MEPs for a plenary vote to take place. But the German would like the vote to be requested on behalf of the PPE Group. However, the French, Belgians and Spaniards in this group voted in favour of the agreement (see EUROPE 12120). These delegations would then find themselves in a minority situation.
In the event of a vote, the mandate would nevertheless need to be maintained. It would be supported by a majority of the members of the ALDE group (except the Eastern delegations), the S&D, the Greens/EFA and the GUE/NGL, but also the Italian delegation of the ELDD group. If the mandate were to be called into question, a vote on the report and the mandate would be held at the next mini plenary session at the end of November.
At the time of the vote in the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL) in October, MEPs considerably extended the scope of the directive to cover freelancers and strengthened worker protection. (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)