Brussels, 05/03/2001 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament's Social Affairs Committee heavily criticised the Commission's work programme for this year, by reproaching it in particular for not taking on any of the legislative initiatives proposed by the Parliament in order to strengthen the right of workers and improve working conditions. Furthermore, they are concerned over the respect for scoreboard for the European enterprise committees defined during the Nice Summit, fearing that, if the Commission does not make any proposals this year, the revision of this Directive will be postponed sine die.
Moreover, the parliamentary committee adopted the report by Marie-France Hermange (EPP/ED) on the Commission Communication "Towards a Europe without barriers for handicapped persons", by calling in particular for an action plan for the participation by the handicapped (37 million Europeans for whom the unemployment rate is three times higher than the average rate) and the presentation by the Commission of a specific action programme in favour of the handicapped starting in 2004.