Brussels, 02/02/2007 (Agence Europe) - The Secretary General of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) John Monks will hand over the Trade Union Memorandum to the German presidency of the EU when, along with ETUC's German trade union affiliate, the DGB, he meets German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin on Tuesday 27 February. This document sets out the key priorities for action during the presidency's six-month term of office. It is drawn up at the start of each new EU presidency.
In the Memorandum, the ETUC highlights the need to 1) break the constitutional deadlock, preferably by adding a social protocol to the existing treaty; and 2) not neglect social progress in the EU or energy. The ETUC also calls on the presidency to push forward with some key legislative measures, including reform of the Working Time Directive to put an end to the individual opt-out, progress on the stalled Temporary Agency Workers Directive, and long-awaited revision of the European Works Council Directive.
Other issues high on the unions' list of demands are sustainable development, measures to combat climate change, and progress towards a European labour market guaranteeing equal treatment for all mobile workers.
Finally, with this year being the 50th anniversary of the signing of the founding Treaties, the ETUC urges the presidency to make a “forward-looking declaration, recognising the role of the social partners in building the EU,” said ETUC spokeswoman Patricia Grillo. The Trade Union Memorandum is available in English on http://www.etuc.org (gb)