Brussels, 15/06/2007 (Agence Europe) - Unions warn about failure to take account of European Parliament's opinion, BUSINESSEUROPE underlines the need for urgent action, UEAPME calls on member states to increase their efforts on administrative cooperation. This was the drift of the sentiments expressed in the press releases issued by the respective European social partners on the communication, adopted by the European Commission on Wednesday, on the posting of workers (see EUROPE 9445).
For the European unions, ETUC General Secretary John Monks said that the “communication shows that the Commission has not sufficiently taken account of the European Parliament's recent clear position on this issue”. On 26 October 2006, the EP plenary session adopted the own initiative report by German Green MEP Elisabeth Schroedter calling for directive 96/71/EC to be better applied (see EUROPE 9296 and 9265). The ETUC will closely monitor the steps the Commission takes to ensure that they do not undermine the key role of the Posting Directive in safeguarding fair competition between service providers from all over the EU, guaranteeing respect for workers' rights, labour law and member states' industrial relations systems.
The head of the employers' association, BUSINESSEUROPE President Ernest-Antoine Seillière, stressed the Commission's conclusion that urgent action was needed to remedy the situation. He said that the posting of workers was “a positive element for both companies and workers. Removing obstacles to cross-border provision of services by member states will create jobs”.
UEAPME (which represents crafts, trades and small and medium sized enterprises) Director for Social Affairs Liliane Volozinskis welcomed the fact that, “The Commission's communication has the potential to put the issue of posting of workers in the EU on the right track and help in addressing the obstacles to a functioning internal market in services”. Ms Volozinskis called on member states to “increase their efforts on administrative collaboration and information exchange”. (gb)