Brussels, 27/07/2000 (Agence Europe) - Through a need to strengthen the European Social Model with as central pillar of the social agenda: this was the priority recognised by both Lionel Jospin, French Prime Minister, and Emilio Gabaglio, Secretary General of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) during their meeting in Paris this Wednesday.
In a statement, Emilio Gabaglio explained that it is necessary to strengthen the European Social model at a time when the EU aims at creating a more innovative and competitive European economy. The Social agenda, decided in Nice, must be the central pillar of this strengthening so as to safeguard the necessary balance between the new economic dynamism and social guarantees for workers. In the light of this, the ETUC expects decisions, under the French Presidency on projects such as information/consultation in enterprises and the monitoring centre on industrial change and innovation. It reaffirmed the importance of making qualified majority voting the rule in the social field and the include in the Treaty the fundamental social rights, including the right to union organisations, collective bargaining and the strike.