The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) adopted a long declaration, published on Tuesday 16 June, which set out its expectations within the context of the recovery plan ahead of Friday’s European Council.
In addition to the slowness of coordination at European level, the trade union organisation deplored the way in which some Member States have used the pandemic to undermine the foundations of the Rule of law, as well as human and workers’ rights. The ETUC is of the opinion that these strategies can only fuel workers’ exasperation and, ultimately, extreme right-wing populism and anti-European centrifugal forces.
Welcoming the European Commission’s proposals at the end of May (see EUROPE 12494/1), the trade union organisation has stressed the need to consolidate the EU’s own resources. In its opinion, there is an urgent need to put an end to unfair tax competition through the establishment of a common minimum corporate tax base and by stepping up the fight against tax havens. The ETUC also called for a revision of the competition rules and for binding social provisions to form part of trade agreements.
In the view of the trade union organisation, the aid provided for in the future Recovery Plan must be conditional upon respect for the Rule of law and fundamental rights. It is also keen to see the Action Plan for European Democracy and the launch of the Conference on the Future of Europe.
Read the ETUC statement: https://bit.ly/2USwgbv (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)