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Barroso to focus on social agenda ahead of elections
30.04.2008, 18:37
The European Commission has embarked on a social policy drive ahead of the European elections next year.
Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso - a centre-right politician -
gathered his colleagues for a day's discussion on Tuesday (29 April)
focussing on "solidarity, access and opportunities and development of
the social agenda."
The following day, the Brussels executive announced that it would table a "social package" before the summer.
The move comes after delays in key social policy legislation as well as
a number of EU court judgements that have led to the perception that
workers' rights are being undermined in Europe.
"This will be a broader package that will bring together different
strands of the societal and the social agenda," said the commission's
spokesperson on Wednesday.
The package will contain several pieces of legislation that normally would be made public independently of one another.
It is to include a long-awaited proposal on patients' cross-border
health care rights as well as proposals on anti-discrimination and
educational issues.
The health care proposal, which is meant to boost the rights of
patients looking for treatment in other member states under certain
conditions, has been delayed since December, while it recently emerged
that the commission is backing away from including gays and lesbians in
a forthcoming anti-discrimination bill.
The commission is also expected to announce revised legislation on the
European Works Council as part of the package. Dating from 1994, the
current law gives workers the right to consultation and information on
company decisions.
It applies to companies with 1,000 or more workers, and at least 150
employees in a minimum of two member states. Trade unions have been
calling for its revision as it has been poorly implemented by companies.
The commission indicated that it hopes that by presenting the package
either at the end of June or beginning of July, it can still get it
through the Brussels legislative channels before parliament breaks up
in spring next year to start campaigning for the June European
elections.
The timing is important to Mr Barroso, an EU official told EUobserver.
He has repeatedly indicated that he would like to be commission
president for a second time.
But this will depend on how EU citizens vote, as the commission
president is to be chosen in light of the elections. If the socialists
overtake the centre-right to upset the current balance of power in the
EU assembly, then Mr Barroso will not win the post again.
Recent indications from the parliament have shown that left-wing
politicians intend to make discussion of recent judgements on workers
rights by the European Court of Justice a key part of their election
campaigns.
Its most recent judgement in this area compounded the feeling among
parts of the electorate that the internal market takes precedence over
employee rights.
In the German Ruffert case, the court ruled that a regional law in
lower Saxony that states public contracts may only be awarded to
companies that promise to pay their employees the minimum wage breached
an EU law.
The EU's highest court reached a similar decision in the Swedish Laval
case late last year when it found that Swedish unions cannot force a
foreign company to observe local pay deals.
These rulings were strongly condemned by trade unions, while left wing MEPs said they are an invitation to social dumping.
Source: www.EUobserver.com