Brussels, 05/12/2001 (Agence Europe) - "I note with concern that the Council did not wish to fix national employment targets or strengthen certain European objectives as requested by ETUC", said Emilio Gabaglio, General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), speaking to the Employment Council on 3 December. Supporting Commissioner Anna Diamantopoulou, Mr Gabaglio added that, at the very time when it is announced for the first time since 1997 that unemployment will rise in 2002, this removes the credibility of the Lisbon Council commitments concerning the full employment target in the EU before the end of the decade.
The General Secretary said, on the other hand, that a series of concrete decisions taken by the Council show that the social Europe can move forward. "I trust that the Belgian Presidency will continue to show proof of its determination to result before the end of the year in approval of the directive on worker information and consultation in companies", he said. Furthermore, he welcomed the definition of quality criteria regarding employment, "even though it its regrettable that the one referring to social dialogue and collective agreements was not taken on board".