Brussels, 06/09/2001 (Agence Europe) - In the current context of growth slowdown and at a time when a "new tide of restructuring" is unfolding over Europe, the Secretary General of the CSC (Confederation of Christian Unions, Belgian Christian trade union affiliated to the European Trade Union Confederation, ETUC), Josly Piette launched an appeal for "measures to be adopted at European level" in order to face up to this kind of situation. The European Central Bank "is too timid and does not dare take its responsibilities", although "it must be involved in economic policy" and decide on a considerable reduction of its rates, states Josly Piette, who also calls for the Stability Pact to be adapted without repeating "past errors". Finally, on the subject of employment, he restated the importance of adopting the directive on worker information and consultation in the event of restructuring in their enterprise, and trusts that "restructuring will be included in the competences of one of the European Commissioners". The General Secretary of ETUC referred here to the Memorandum presented by ETUC and its Belgian affiliates (CSC/ACV, FGTB/ABVV) to the Belgian EU Council Presidency, whereby the trade union world calls for a social European model to be consolidated through social dialogue and European macro-economic dialogue, as well as sanctions in the case of failure to respect worker information and consultation procedures (see EUROPE of 25 April, p.14).