Brussels, 21/05/2001 (Agence Europe) - The General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) Emilio Gabaglio and the President of FITUR (Federation of Independent trade Unions of Russia), Mikhail Shmakov signed a joint statement on 17 May for the attention of the participants in the EU/Russia Summit. The two trade union organizations thereby demonstrated their intention of setting up working relations in the framework of the EU/Russia Agreement. As Emilio Gabaglio stressed, "this trade union cooperation will essentially revolved around social and fundamental rights, economic development and its social dimension, social protection and the social dialogue.
In the Statement: 1) ETUC backs FITUR in its fight for social justice and stability. A genuine social dialogue should become a constitutive element of the EU-Russia relations, say the partners; 2) ETUC and FITUR stress that social partners, and especially trade unions, must be involved in setting up a constructive EU/Russia partnership, going beyond intergovernmental relations; 3) ETUC and FITUR announce that they will campaign together for the social rights and standards of the International Labour Office to be recognized in international trade relations; 4) ETUC and FITUR consider that the development of regional cooperation, especially in the region of the Baltic Sea and the Euro-Arctic, as essential element of successful relations; 5) ETUC and FITUR state that the Charter of Fundamental Rights must serve as reference for future developments.