Brussels, 17/12/2002 (Agence Europe) - At the first meeting of the European Convention's working group on "social Europe", chaired by Giorgios Katiforis, the President of the EU Economic and Social Committee, Roger Briesch, presented the preliminary contribution of observers representing the Committee at the Convention. He mainly stressed that the Charter of Fundamental Rights should be integrated into the future Constitution, as well as defence of the European social model and strengthened social dialogue, explained Thomas Jansen, Chef de Cabinet for President Briesch.
As far as the aims to be included in the future Constitution are concerned, the Committee calls for other suggestions (and reserves itself this possibility): - enhanced economic and social cohesion; - sustainable economic growth as a condition for competitiveness, full employment and sustainable guarantee of social systems; - the systematic taking into account of the imperative of sustainability, in principle in all policy fields; - a high degree of environmental protection and improvement in the quality of the environment; - implementation of the principle of equal treatment; - and improved quality of life and living standards. As far as the sharing of powers is concerned, President Briesch pointed out that the Committee did not have a definitive answer to the differences that exist between the group of employers (which defends the idea that, at this stage of European integration, one must not add social competencies) and the workers group (which, on the other hand, hopes the EU has more possibilities for intervening in social matters).