Brussels, 01/12/2000 (Agence Europe) - The days the precede the Nice Summit will be witness to the effervescent activities from the European Social Partners (UNICE for the employers, ETUC for the trade unions, CEEP for the public companies). Tuesday 5 December, the European social partners are invited, in Paris, to a working lunch by President Jacques Chirac and his Prime Ministers Lionel Jospin to discuss their respective claims. Commissioner Anna Diamantopoulou will take part in the works. On Wednesday 6 December more than 60,000 employees will demonstrate in Nice on the initiative of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), which will involve the representation of forty national confederation (from France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Belgium, the UK, Greece and the accession candidate countries) affiliated to the ETUC.
The aim of this demonstration is to pass on to the Heads of State and Government the following message: "Europe is still too centred on the markets and capital and does not pay enough attention to the social dimension and employment. After the completion of the single market and in the face of the Euro, it is time that the EU send the clear signal that it wants to bring together the European building process and the citizens". To this effect "the decision must be effective and transparent. It is crucial", comments the ETUC in a press release, "that the EU reform its decision-making procedures. The right to veto has become a blocking factor, which prevents the EU from moving forward in the direction of social progress. The decision through qualified majority should become the rule, notably in the field of European social policy". The ETUC calls on the Summit to adopt a wide ranging social action programme, to concretise the right and the principals included in the Charter of Fundamental Rights, to create numerous and quality jobs and to fight against discrimination, inequalities and social exclusion.
Mr Gabaglio comments on Trade Union campaign platform
Presenting during a press conference in Brussels this trade union campaign platform entitled: "For a Europe of employment and social rights", the Secretary General of the ETUC Emilio Gabaglio referred firstly to the statement by the Minister Hubert Védrine before the EP that "the Nice Treaty should be a constructive compromise, not downwards" (see EUROPE of 30 November, p. 3), by declaring that he hopes that this assertion also covers the social aspect: "thus I interpreted his statement". Mr Gabaglio recalled the two key elements of the trade union demands: 1) a binding Charter of Fundamental Rights and that is an integral part of the Treaty; 2) the European Social Agenda. Noting that "in the text that is presently in circulation most of the trade union demands are found", Gabaglio particularly noted that this agenda adopts and structure the aim of full employment (gambling not only on the quantitative aspect, but also on the qualitative aspect) and that the agenda intends to deepen the European social model. The
interpretation given by the British press to the debate by the Social Council) on this issue, according to Emilio Gabaglio, "without foundation" and "there is no toning down in the text by the French Presidency compared to that of the Commission" (see ministerial work on this issue, EUROPE of 29 November, p.7). The Secretary General added that his "Confederation maintains one third of these requirements for the next five years. It thus calls on the Commission, which has the right to initiative, to use them when necessary". He also added that the method of open coordination "does not prevent legislative standards, for example in terms of health and worker safety".
Returning to the IGC, the Secretary General spoke in favour of "the extension of qualified majority voting in the social field, which must be the general rule. For the moment the talks are far from reaching this point". And to cite an example the fact that "only one theme would presently move from unanimity to qualified majority: it is the representation and the definition of collective interest of workers and employers, but not the co-management, thus it is a little unfair to say that qualified majority will become the rule in social matters".