Finland, which has just begun its presidency at the head of the Council of the EU on Monday 1 July, intends to promote its concept of a “welfare economy”. In this context, it will seek to move forward on certain thorny legislative issues, in particular the Equal Treatment Directive, which has been blocked for almost 11 years in the Council of the EU.
The Finnish Presidency intends to hold a political debate on the Directive at the Employment and Social Policy Council (EPSCO) in Luxembourg on 24 October. The aim, we are told, will be to take stock of the current forms of discrimination in the Member States, to hear the current priorities of the capitals and, possibly, to obtain conclusions for the December European Council. The idea is to relaunch some momentum behind the text.
The Romanian Presidency had prepared the ground for the last EPSCO Council by reporting progress on the text (see EUROPE 12272/26). In 2014, the Italian Presidency tried to revitalise the negotiations, but without success, except for the rejection of the idea of enhanced cooperation, a project that provoked strong opposition from the Finnish delegation at the time (see EUROPE 11217/7).
Coordination of social security systems. The Finnish Presidency hopes, like the Commissioner for Social Policy, Marianne Thyssen (see EUROPE 12252/1), to reach a sustainable agreement on the Regulation on the coordination of social security systems.
But the “challenge is very high”, according to a European source. They recall that deep differences remain within the Council of the EU on this issue. Moreover, on the European Parliament's side, all legislative work is potentially to be restarted, following the rejection of the adoption at first reading of the 'Balas' report (see EUROPE 12239/2). On the Council of the EU side, it is hoped that the European Parliament's position will be clarified by the end of July.
“Welfare economy”. On 8 July, the Finnish Presidency will hold a debate on the concept of the “welfare economy”, in connection with the implementation of the European pillar of social rights and the country-specific recommendations. A note from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development on the concept of welfare will also feed into the discussions.
To consult the Presidency's work programme: https://bit.ly/2ZR4UTc (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)