Brussels, 29/01/2003 (Agence Europe) - On 31 January in Athens, a delegation of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), headed by its Secretary General Emilio Gabaglio, will meet Costas Simitis, President of the European Council and hand him its "memorandum to the Greek Presidency of the European Union".
1. Future of the Europe Reform Process. It is necessary that: the new treaty recognised and enhances the role of social partnerships, as co-regulators at all levels; the European level respects the principle of "horizontal subsidiarity". As well as the conditions of European industrial relations board (in particular the recognition of international union rights) must be anchored into the treaty. An important moment in the European unions' campaign for a constitutional treaty for a social Europe of citizens, will be the "European day of action" on 21 March.
2. Spring Council 2003. The European Council on 21 March must become an "emergency summit" and approve the new employment guidelines and new BEPG (Broad Economic Guidelines) in accordance with the new "rationalisation" procedure. The ETUC believes that the Presidency must give the highest priority to the institutionalisation of the tripartite social summit for growth and jobs in order for it to be able to meet up in a new forum on the eve of the summit on 21 March.
3. Workers Rights and Social Policy. The ETUC is requesting the integration of employment considerations into the pending reform of the merger control regulation; change the new draft directive on take-overs so that workers and their representatives both in the company of the bidder as in the targeted company, are informed and consulted timely and during all phases of a take-over procedure (see p 11); start the legislative review of the directive on European company committees; encourage the Council's discussion on the directive on temporary agency work.
4. Common Asylum and Immigration Policy. The ETUC is calling for the social inclusion of the immigrant into existing EU measures and instruments at an EU level. The Presidency should open a debate on this issue.
5. Unification of Europe. In the framework of European enlargement it will be necessary to focus on the border regions, especially the infrastructure, political structures for regional development and territorial pacts to boost employment.