Brussels, 20/09/2004 (Agence Europe) - The President of the Competitiveness Council, Dutch economics minister Laurens Jans Brinkhorst, has invited economics ministers to attend a dinner on 23 September, on the eve of the Competitiveness Council, to discuss the Lisbon Process and progress in the services directive.
The 'informal' meeting will look at the economic situation in Europe in discussions with Wim Kok, President of the high level group looking at a review of the Lisbon agenda and the services directive, explained Laurens Jan Brinkhorst in a letter to ministers. The President of the Council explained that the Lisbon discussions would consider the need to focus effort on reform to boost growth, competitiveness and employment, improve governance in the Lisbon process and increase public support for structural reforms.
The President of the Council hoped to identify those aspects of the services directive that can be addressed and/or clarified over the next few months in order to make progress at the November Competitiveness Council. Following two technical meetings at the Council, Member States have not yet reached much agreement over the draft services directive extending the recognition of agreements with service providers in their state of origin. Delegations disagree over healthcare, health and safety risks for temporary workers and building workers posted overseas, and highly regulated professions like notaries (see Europe of 14 September, p.14, for details).