Brussels, 03/07/2008 (Agence Europe) - The promotion of a real social Europe and a response to the widespread unease among European citizens and workers regarding their employment and working conditions - that is what the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) and the Socialist Group at the EP expect from the French EU Presidency. The working time directive on which a political agreement was sealed mid-June in Luxembourg (see EUROPE 9679) should receive the French Presidency's full attention, the PES and ETUC say. An initiative aimed at revising the “posting of workers” directive would also be welcome. “The French Presidency must act on Social Europe if that concept is to remain meaningful and powerful”, commented John Monks, ETUC General Secretary.
Rainer Plassmann, Secretary General of CEEP (European Centre of Enterprises with public participation and of enterprises of general economic interest), expressed his wish for “a Presidency built on the concept of partnership and dialogue”. He insists on the following messages: (1) to efficiently tackle climate change, considering the necessary management of the impact of new climate policies on employment, assuming that actions are based on exact data and not only on assumptions; (2) to actively pursue the plural and gradual approach aimed at the creation of a well-balanced, up-to-date and effective legal environment for services of general interest (SGI); and (3) to make progress in labour market modernisation under sustainable social, environmental and economic conditions. This social well-being can also increase the feeling of “being European”, which has been lacking as demonstrated by the Irish “no” to the Lisbon Treaty.
The members of the Collectif SSIG (“acting together for quality social and health services in Europe”) hope to make a concrete contribution to the French Presidency's SSGI (social services of general interest) roadmap. With the publication of a manual for regional and local authorities that organise local social services on “a Europe that protects social services and how to protect social services missions from market forces alone””, the members of the Collectif plan to put member state public authorities before their responsibilities further to the November 2007 communication on SSGI (see EUROPE 9547). Information: http: //http://www.ssig-fr.org (G.B./transl.jl)