Brussels, 04/01/2006 (Agence Europe) - Presenting the programme of the Austrian Presidency of the EU to the Press in Brussels on 19 December, Austrian Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik said that employment and social issues would be at the heart of the Presidency's priorities. “We have a European social and economic mode. How do we want to live in this reunited Europe? What matters to us? What kind of European life do we want?”, the President of the General Affairs Committee had asked before going on to say that the Spring 2006 Summit will first examine national reform programmes which are trying to put the revised Lisbon Strategy back on the rails. Finnish Secretary of State for European Affairs, Antti Peltomäki, who presented the joint programme from the Austrian and Finnish Presidencies with Mrs Plassnik, stressed that, at the Spring Summit, growth and employment would be very great challenges and would necessitate strong political involvement. In Brussels at the end of November (see EUROPE 9079), the Austrian Economy Minister Martin Bartenstein also stressed that the Austrian Presidency was going to ensure that the revised Lisbon Agenda started from solid foundations. “Flexicurity” (a term used to define the ways to reconcile a more flexible labour market with every person's security) and the social dimension of the revised Lisbon Strategy will be at the heart of Austrian concerns, as demonstrated by the fact that the informal Employment and Social Affairs Council to be held on 20 January in Villach will deal with these very questions. Preparations for this Council will be made on the eve at a meeting of the Social Troika, involving representatives of the European social partners, the Commission, the Parliament and the Social Platform.
The following is an overview of the Programme of the two Presidencies in the social field:
1) Employment: the Austrian Presidency will concentrate its efforts on finalising the 2005 Joint Employment Report to be submitted to the March Summit. As usual, the Employment and Social Affairs Committee will prepare a key messages paper on employment and social issues for this summit.
2) Labour Law, Health and Safety at Work: the Presidencies will seek final adoption of the Directive on certain aspects of the organisation of working time. No political agreement was reached under the British Presidency, so the Austrian Presidency was asked to pick up the baton. The matter of concern is the opt-out clause allowing workers to elect to exceed the maximum 48-hour working week (see EUROPE 9086). Austria and Finland also want to advance the file on temporary working and labour law based on the Commission Green Paper. In the area of Health and Safety at Work, the Presidencies will work to amend the 1989 Directive and will start work to amend the 2004 Regulation on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to carcinogens and mutagens. They also expect a Communication from the Commission on a new Community Strategy on health and safety at work.
3) Social Policy: the Council will work principally on the coordination of social security systems. Against the background of the European Year of Mobility for Workers, Austria and Finland will work on the proposal for a Directive on the portability of supplementary pensions. In the area of social protection, the Presidencies will work on the sustainability of the European Social Model and, in the context of the streamlining of the three dimensions of social inclusion, pensions and health and long-term care, the Council will adopt early in 2006 the first common objectives for social protection, to be submitted at the Spring Summit. The two Presidencies will also seek to finalise the decision establishing a Community programme for employment and social solidarity (PROGRESS). Due attention will be given to the forthcoming Communication on social services of general interest and the social dimension of globalisation.
In the context of the Commission's Green Paper and the forthcoming communication on demographic challenge and intergenerational solidarity, Austria and Finland attach special importance to families, family policy and reconciliation of work and family life as well as gender equality. The Presidencies will also highlight attractiveness and quality of working life as essential means to reach the objectives of the Lisbon Strategy and to raise the employment rate. Another challenge is to make sure that social and health services are prepared to meet the needs of the growing number of elderly citizens.
4) Gender Equality and Non-discrimination: the Presidencies will seek the final adoption of the Recast)directive and the establishment of a European Institute for Gender Equality. They will also pursue the annual review of progress made in the context of the Beijing Platform for Action and build up health and poverty indicators.