10/07/2020 (Agence Europe) – By voting on the 'Gusmão' own-initiative report (550 votes in favour, 128 against, 10 abstentions) on Friday 10 July, the European Parliament proposes to mitigate the link between the Employment Policy Guidelines and the Stability and Growth Pact and insists on maintaining the general escape clause of the Stability and Growth Pact for the duration of the coronavirus crisis. Parliamentarians also call for the extension of collective bargaining to workers on the rigs. Finally, they require that the European SURE initiative (Support to mitigate Unemployment Risks in an Emergency) should not be used for companies paying dividends or those which are registered in tax havens (see EUROPE 12513/27). (PH)