Brussels, 14/12/2001 (Agence Europe) - The results of the Social Summit include the fact that the association of European social partners will have observer status at the future Convention on institutional reform; extending the social dialogue (meaning negotiations between European employers and trade unions) through the adoption of multiannual work programmes (the first of which will be completed before the December 2002 European Summit); the institutionalisation of tripartite social consultations (between social partners, Council and Commission) with the organisation of a Social Summit before each spring European Council, the first one being organised before the March 2002 Barcelona Summit. The outcome was presented after the Summit by the Belgian Prime Minister and President of the Council of Ministers, Guy Verhofstadt. The Summit was held in Laeken on 13 December (see EUROPE of 13 December, p.16) at the same location as the EU Summit itself and was described by Social Affairs Commissioner Anna Diamantopoulou as being an important first for future dialogue with the social partners.
Drawing up a balance sheet of the Belgian Presidency's progress in the social field, Laurette Onkelinx explained that quality of employment criteria had been established, along with plans for combating poverty, an approach for making pensions viable as a social challenge with financial aspects (stressed by Frank Vandenbroucke) and employee protection in the event their employer goes bust. She also highlighted that agreement had been reached between Council and Parliament (opening the door to its formal adoption) on the directive on worker information and consultation (nicknamed the Renault Directive). Emilio Gabaglio (ETUC) welcomed this green light which he saw as having being won after a long battle by the European trade union movement to extend workers' rights in companies. Georges Jacobs (UNICE) said that employers recognised Europe's social dimension and intended to play their role as a social partner. Anna Diamantopoulou announced that the Commission would be launching consultation with the social partners on restructuring and managing change and a document would be published around the middle of January. President Prodi said that social policy and economic policy are not two separate items and progress had to be made on both fronts, adding that there would be social partners who would take an action role in the European Convention. Thanking the trade union movement for the very orderly manner in which their demonstration had taken place, Mr Verhofstadt said that the Presidency had received the message about more Europe, rather than less, and for a more social Europe and that the EU heads of state intended to take notice of this message at their Laeken meeting.
On the fringe of the euro-demonstration, the leaders of the Belgian trade unions Josly Piette (CSC) and Michel Nollet (FGTB) asked for the appointment of a "European Commissioner for restructuring", who could, for example, be the Commissioner for competition, Mario Monti who would thus be responsible for monitoring the social problems of relocation. Britain's Tom Jenkins (TUC) pleaded in favour of "tougher social legislation". Franz Josepf Mollenberg (Germany, DGB) said he was against a "Europe of multinationals". France's Nicole Notat (FCDT) called for a "more democratic Europe, more powerful and more social, that would be a good intervention lever in globalisation that needs organising to ensure a balance between developed countries and those that want to develop".