On Friday 17 December, the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the EU presented to the Member States in the Committee of Permanent Representatives I (Coreper I) the “surprise” provisional agreement reached the day before with the European Parliament on the Regulation for the coordination of social security systems.
The Slovenian Presidency reportedly informed delegations that it intended to submit the agreement (see EUROPE 12855/10) for approval at the Coreper meeting on Wednesday 22 December. However, several national delegations (14, according to a diplomatic source) reportedly expressed reluctance, arguing that this left them only three working days to analyse the contents of the agreement.
Several Member States have reportedly already expressed dissatisfaction with the agreement reached, which reportedly diverges greatly from the EU Council’s mandate. This discontent was expressed in particular by Luxembourg (which has never been very enthusiastic about the text - see EUROPE 12046/38), Hungary, and Germany, several sources told us.
That Germany has taken a cautious stance on the agreement is surprising, given that the new German Federal Chancellor, the Social Democrat Olaf Scholz, is of the same political orientation as his Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, Hubertus Heil. Some observers expect, in the worst case, a German abstention on Wednesday.
A diplomatic source questioned the method chosen by the Slovenian Presidency, which reportedly went back to the mandate obtained under the Portuguese Presidency, without seeking to have it voted on again in Coreper, or even to modify it.
“Not sure it will work”, the latter source told us, adding that Member States asking for more time are not necessarily against the agreement. (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)