Brussels, 09/12/2008 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission and the many players of the defence industry launched a new partnership, on Monday 8 December, to help better anticipate and manage the changes facing the sector. The initiative, presented in Brussels on the occasion of the forum on restructuring, brings together the Commission and the Aerospace and Defence Industries Association of Europe (ASD), the European Metalworkers Federation (EMF) and the European Defence Agency (EDA). It will monitor developments in the industry, while the partners exchange know-how on anticipating skills needed and manage restructuring in a socially responsible way.
Vladimir Spidla, Employment Commissioner, pointed out at the launch of this partnership that the defence sector provides work for around 800,000 people in Europe and that it is a catalyst for growth and innovation in other industries. “Like many sectors, it faces increasing global competition and needs to become more integrated at European level. This partnership commits all the key players to act together so as to better prepare for and manage change, so both workers and the economy can benefit”, he said. The new European partnership encourages its members (the ESU, governments, companies, trade unions and regions) to conduct a series of concrete measures over the next two years. Such measures include: - a new observatory on change in the defence industry, including employment and skills needs; - collecting and exchange of best practice on socially responsible restructuring at company, sectoral and regional level; - dissemination and discussion workshops with human resources managers and workers' representatives, including European Works Councils; - and better use of funding (such as the Structural Funds and European Globalisation Fund). (O.L./transl.jl)