The Slovenian Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, Janez Cigler Kralj, assured that his country will do its utmost during its six-month presidency of the EU Council to find solutions to break the deadlock in the interinstitutional negotiations on the Regulation on the coordination of social security systems, during an exchange with MEPs of the European Parliament’s Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL) on Wednesday 14 July.
Pressed by several committee coordinators and MEPs, including Denis Radtke (EPP, Germany) and Gabriele Bischoff (S&D, Germany), rapporteur on the coordination of social security systems, the minister indicated his willingness to use modern (i.e. digital) technologies to find a solution to the stalled negotiations under the Portuguese Presidency of the EU Council (see EUROPE 12748/10).
He insisted on finding a solution that is technically “workable”. On the other hand, when questioned by Mrs Bischoff on this subject, he said nothing about the possible usefulness of a European social security number (a project which seems to have been abandoned by the European Commission, see EUROPE 12742/22). He also did not wish to take a position on the recent proposal from the Portuguese Presidency, which introduced exemptions for the A1 form for certain postings of workers (see EUROPE 12728/22).
Asked about the framework directive on adequate minimum wages, the Minister said he wanted to do everything possible to find the broadest possible agreement in the EU Council. His main objective will be to focus the objectives while taking into account the wide diversity of Member States in setting minimum wages.
The Slovenian Presidency’s objective is to reach an agreement in the Employment and Social Policy Council (EPSCO) in October or December. The text continues to generate strong opposition in the EU Council, with several Member States (Austria, Denmark, Estonia, Hungary, Poland, Malta and Sweden) still calling for a recommendation for various reasons, despite a positive opinion from the EU Council’s Legal Service.
When asked by Sylvie Brunet (Renew Europe, France), rapporteur of an own-initiative report on digital platform workers (see other news), as well as by Leïla Chaibi (The Left, France), the minister indicated his firm willingness to make progress on the issue of digital platform workers as soon as there is a legislative proposal on the table. That said, the minister made it clear from the outset that he wanted to avoid having too rigid a definition of digital platform workers.
In addition, he indicated his willingness to make progress on the fourth revision on exposure to carcinogens and mutagens at work (see EUROPE 12697/23) and on the strategic framework on health and safety at work (see EUROPE 12750/2). (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)