Brussels, 27/02/2008 (Agence Europe) - On 19 February in Paris, Andrea Benassi, the president of the UEAPME, presented her association's expectations from the French presidency of the EU (EUROPE 9610). She indicated that: 1) flexicurity: - was a point of concern: there were difficulties for SMEs guaranteeing different kinds of security at a company level and therefore there was a need to extend the means for this (training, health and safety, employer groups etc.); key subjects: labour shortages, qualification and skill requirements; 2) directives pending at the Council: - working time: companies have to be able to benefit from a 12 month probationary period as a general rule and they need to guarantee that a standby period for not working or “non work” is defined at a national level. They also need to find a solution for individual and collective opt-outs; temporary work: the proposal discussed under the Portuguese presidency “does not suit us”; 3) possible French presidency subjects: - pro-active inclusion: a subject where the open coordination method at an EU level should help progress in each member state. One of the main causes is early school leaving and the subsequent lack of qualifications; illegal immigration: a responsibility for solidarity between the contracting parties at the 1st level is a difficult question for SMEs that do no have the means to control their sub-contractors. (G.B.)