European Social Policy articles from February 2006

European Social Policy archives from February 2006

A HIGHWAY TO SOCIAL DUMPING?
February 18, 2006... The European Commission is playing its role in calling on the twelve 'old' EU member states that have introduced restrictions on the free movement of workers to lift those measures. The fact is that it has become difficult to justify...

POSTED WORKERS:: FUSS OVER THE DIRECTIVE.
February 18, 2006... The Commission's standpoint. "If these articles are to be scrapped, the Commission will be forced to revise the position of member states. Based on this analysis, the Commission should then take the necessary measures to ensure that member...

HEALTH & SAFETY AT WORK: MEPS GEAR UP FOR FINAL VOTE ON OPTICAL RADIATION DIRECTIVE.(Brief article)
February 18, 2006... Following the agreement secured with the Council in Conciliation Committee in December, the European Parliament's plenary approved the version agreed in conciliation of the Directive intended to protect workers against risks linked to exposure...

SERVICES DIRECTIVE: EPP-SOCIALIST COMPROMISE SET TO PASS IN PLENARY VOTE.
February 18, 2006... Handsome majority? At group meetings on February 14, most Socialist and EPP-ED Members backed the compromise thrashed. In the EPP (264 MEPs), deputies from the new member states were very critical of it, however, complaining they were...

COLLECTIVE BARGAINING: COMMISSION TREADS CAREFULLY IN VAXHOLM CASE.
February 18, 2006... The case dates back to 2004. Swedish trade unions instigated proceedings against a Latvian construction company, Laval, to contest the working conditions of the Latvian workers employed to refurbish a school in Vaxholm. When Laval refused to...

NON-DISCRIMINATION: GENDER EQUALITY STILL NOT A REALITY.
February 18, 2006... The Commission has therefore been invited to conduct a study into ways of implementing EU legislation in this domain and to take the necessary action in the event of non-transposition or infringement of the legislation. MEPs insist, in...

NEW BOOST FOR EUROPEAN COOPERATION ON QUALITY ASSURANCE IN HIGHER EDUCATION.(Brief article)
February 18, 2006... The Council of Ministers, on January 30, adopted without debate, a Recommendation on the mutual recognition of general standards and guidelines for quality assurance systems in Europe's higher education. Member states are encouraged to create a...

HEALTH: CALL FOR OPEN COORDINATION METHOD.(Brief article)
February 18, 2006... The urgent need for a coordinated European policy in the healthcare sector is now clear but tends to come up against the problem that the EU has no authority in this area. In order to ensure more orderly progress, the organisations call for the...

FREE MOVEMENT OF PEOPLE: ECJ CURBS RIGHT TO REFUSE ENTRY TO NON-EU NATIONALS.(European Court of Justice, European Union)
February 18, 2006... The case concerns two Algerian nationals, Mr Farid and Mr Bouchair, who were married to Spanish citizens and lived in Dublin in London respectively. The Spanish authorities refused to allow them visit Spain after discovering that Germany had...

SOCIAL SECURITY: POSTED WORKERS SUBJECT TO HOME-COUNTRY LEGISLATION, SAYS EU COURT.
February 18, 2006... The case concerns Herbosh Kiere, a company responsible for carrying out concreting work on two construction sites in Belgium, for which it called on an Irish company (ICD Constructors Ltd.) to help. The Belgian authorities subsequently ruled...

NON-DISCRIMINATION: MEPS URGE COMMISSION TO KEEP PROMISE ON DISCRIMINATION LAW.
February 18, 2006... The committee is starting to mobilise as it sees that Mr Barroso's enthusiasm for such legislation seems to be on the wane. Committee Vice-Chairman Greek Socialist Stavros Lambrinidis recalled how this was the very issue that led his committee...

HUMAN RIGHTS: MEPS SPLIT ON WHETHER NEW AGENCY SHOULD COVER NON-EU STATES.
February 18, 2006... Mr Cavada said he had discussed the issue with Austrian Presidency representatives in Strasbourg on January 17. The Presidency aims to get agreement on the agency by the mid-June European Council, which will mean Parliament having to give its...

MEPS URGE COMMISSION TO DO MORE TO PROTECT GAY RIGHTS.(Brief article)
February 18, 2006... A string of recent setbacks for gay rights in Eastern Europe has led the European Parliament to demand a more pro-active response from the EU in fighting homophobia. An EP resolution adopted by 468 votes to 149 on January 18 calls on the...

COURT SLAMS GERMANY OVER VISA FOR POSTED WORKERS.(European Court of Justice )(Brief article)
February 18, 2006... Germany has been condemned by the European Court of Justice for the red tape it imposes on companies based in other EU member states which want to post their non-EU national workers to Germany. On January 19, the ECJ said (Case C-244/04) Berlin...

EMPLOYMENT: "THE SINGLE MARKET IS AN EMINENTLY SOCIAL TOOL", SAYS VLADIMIR SPIDLA.(Interview)
February 18, 2006... Do you believe that temporary clauses restricting the free movement of workers from the new member states should be lifted? Naturally. Freedom of movement for workers is a fundamental European value. That is clear! It seems strange that we...

EMPLOYMENT: GUIDELINES FOR 2006 IDENTICAL TO THOSE FOR 2005.
February 18, 2006... This decision must now be approved by the Council of Ministers by qualified majority, following consultation of the European Parliament, the Economic and Social Committee, the Committee of the Regions and to the Employment Committee (procedure...

SOCIAL FUND TO HELP BOOST CAPACITY OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATIONS AND SERVICES?(Brief article)
February 18, 2006... The European Commission staged a ministerial conference in Brussels on February 9 to discuss how to avail of European Social Fund (ESF) money to reform and strengthen the institutional capacity of public administrations and services. This is an...

FREE MOVEMENT: EUROPEAN YEAR FOR WORKERS' MOBILITY TO KICK OFF ON FEBRUARY 20.(Brief article)
February 18, 2006... The inaugural session will be addressed by Austria's Economic Affairs and Employment Minister and acting EU President Martin Bartenstein, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, and Vladimir Spidla, the Commissioner responsible for...

ENVIRONMENT: EU POLICY IS NOT KILLING JOBS, SAYS REPORT.
February 18, 2006... According to the report, environmental policy can create new demand for environmentally-friendly goods and services, allowing eco-industries to expand their business and take on new workers whereas other firms will employ fewer people as policy...

SOCIAL INCLUSION: COMMISSION LAUNCHES CONSULTATION.
February 18, 2006... In the document submitted to the social partners, the Commission emphasises that this is a key challenge in the context of social cohesion. The level of individuals excluded from the labour market has remained unchanged for as long as European...

SOCIAL INCLUSION: COMMISSION ADOPTS 2006 REPORT ON SOCIAL PROTECTION AND INCLUSION.
February 18, 2006... Since the introduction of the Lisbon strategy on combating poverty and an open method of coordination (OMC) in this area, the report has nevertheless lost some of its relevance. Whereas the first two reports (2001-2003 and 2003-2005) focused...

ANTI-DISCRIMINATION: HIGH-LEVEL GROUP ON ETHNIC MINORITIES MEETS FOR FIRST TIME.(Brief article)
February 18, 2006... Attending the meeting, European Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Vladimir Spidla called on member states to "ensure that the EU's anti-discrimination legislation be completely and efficiently transposed and...

EUROPEAN MULTIMEDIA HEALTH INFORMATION PLATFORM PROJECT LAUNCHED.(Brief article)
February 18, 2006... The European Commission and the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) launched the European Health Information Platform on February 2 in Brussels. The platform is a multimedia initiative which aims to set up a network of public broadcasters and...

MEPS URGE MEMBER STATES TO OUTLAW PRACTICE OF FEMALE GENITAL MUTILIATION.(Brief article)
February 18, 2006... All member states should outlaw the practice of female genital mutilation, disbar doctors who perform it and penalise parents who permit it, the European Parliament has said. Moreover, it should be deemed a valid ground for applying for asylum,...

EMPLOYMENT CONDITIONS: EU AGENCY SENDS OUT NEW WARNING ON HEALTH AND SAFETY AT WORK.(Brief article)
February 18, 2006... "The nature and organisation of work are changing, becoming more client- and knowledge-based", Hans-Horst Konkolewsky, the Agency's Director explains. Europe's workforce has also been changing; it is ageing, less male-dominated, more precarious...

SOCIAL PARTNERS AGREE ON WORK PROGRAMME FOR 2006-2008.(Brief article)
February 18, 2006... The European social partners - UNICE/UEAPME, CEEP, and ETUC* - wrapped up negotiations on January 25 on their draft work programme for 2006-2008. This text will now be sent to each organisation's decision-making body for final adoption before...

TRADE UNIONS PICK HOLES IN NATIONAL ECONOMIC REFORM PLANS.(European Trade Union Confederation)(Brief article)
February 18, 2006... Weaknesses in employment strategies and too little worker consultation are the two major shortcomings highlighted by the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) in the national reform plans drafted by the member states under the revised...

GENDER EQUALITY: MEPS IN FAVOUR OF EUROPEAN INSTITUTE.(Brief article)
February 18, 2006... MEPs said they would like to see the Institute up and running within 12 months of entry into force of the Regulation establishing it. EU governments have yet to decide on the Institute's head office, but Austrian Minister for Health and Women...

AUSTRIAN WOMEN'S RIGHTS MINISTER URGES ACTION TO STOP HARMFUL PRACTICES.
February 18, 2006... The Austrian Minister for Health and Women, Maria Rauch-Kallat, has said she wants to launch an initiative to crack down on "harmful traditional practices" against women and has called on member states to become more involved in looking for...

COUNCIL OF MINISTERS: MINISTERS REACH CONSENSUS ON 'FLEXICURITY' AND THE SOCIAL DIMENSION.
February 18, 2006... Following the meeting, Ursula Haubner emphasised the importance, alongside promoting employment, of applying a policy that takes account of the least privileged groups, also involving interest groups at local and regional level. "We should...

SOCIAL PARTNERS: UNIONS, EMPLOYERS AND NGOS FAVOUR 'FLEXICURITY' CONCEPT.
February 18, 2006... Austrian Social Affairs Minister Ursula Haubner said "the positive start to these discussions sends a clear message that important processes for a partnership on the broadest possible basis have been set in motion under the Austrian...

ECOFIN COUNCIL: MINISTERS TO DISCUSS CHALLENGES POSED BY AGEING POPULATION.
February 18, 2006... The document, the broad outlines of which were approved by the Commission on February 8, analyses the impact of an ageing population and its consequences for spending on pensions, health, education and employment in the 25 the EU member states...

ECOFIN COUNCIL: POLICY DEBATE ON THE EIB'S CONTRIBUTION TO GROWTH AND EMPLOYMENT.(European Investment Fund)
February 18, 2006... The Austrian Presidency has recalled as a preamble to discussions scheduled for February 14, that the entire package of EIB proposals must be compatible with the scenario for increasing capital (namely, no increase in capital before 2010...

EMPLOYMENT: BIG VARIATIONS IN MIGRATION FROM NEW MEMBER STATES.
February 18, 2006... State of play. Ireland, the United Kingdom and Sweden are the only 'old' member states which chose not to impose restrictions. So far, there are hints that some, including Finland and Spain, are contemplating following suit while others,...

EU UNEMPLOYMENT RATE STABLE IN DECEMBER 2005.(Brief article)
February 18, 2006... The EU unemployment rate was 8.5% in December 2005, unchanged compared to November and slightly lower than the 9% in December 2004, according to figures published by Eurostat on February 1. The lowest rates were registered in Ireland and...

INTEGRATED FRAMEWORK PROPOSED FOR SOCIAL PROTECTION STATISTICS.(Brief article)
February 18, 2006... Statistics on social protection will soon have a well-structured, integrated framework based on common standards, definitions, classifications and accounting rules if the Council gives its blessing to a proposal for a Regulation tabled by the...

PROCEDURE FOR IMPLEMENTING SOCIAL SECURITY REGULATION UPDATED.(Brief article)
February 18, 2006... The Official Journal has published the latest amendments made by member states to Regulation 574/72/EEC fixing the procedure for implementing Regulation 1408/71/EEC on the coordination of social security schemes for persons, salaried or other,...

NEW CALL FOR PROPOSALS UNDER SOCRATES EDUCATION ROGRAMME.
February 18, 2006... The European Commission has published a call for proposals under the Socrates programme on higher education (2006/C32/12) for observation, analysis and innovation activities (OJ C 32 of February 8, 2006). The deadline for submitting files is...

APPOINTMENTS TO COUNCIL ADVISORY COMMITTEES ON FREE MOVEMENT OF WORKERS AND MIGRANT WORKERS.(Robert Suban, Jose Cordeiro replaced Raphael Scerri and Rui Manuel Oliveira e Costa)(Brief article)
February 18, 2006... At the EU Council's advisory committee on the free movement of workers, Robert Suban (Malta), Head of the Employment and Training Corporation office, and Jose Cordeiro (Portugal) of the General Workers' Union (Uniao Geral dos Trabalhadores)...

EU/CROATIA/TURKEY TALKS SHOULD BEGIN ON EDUCATION AND CULTURE.(Brief article)
February 18, 2006... Croatia and Turkey are ready to start EU membership talks in the field of education and culture, the European Commission said on February 14. The EU executive presented its latest 'screening' report to EU member states, recommending that this...

EPP CLOSED SESSION FOCUSES ON MIGRATION AND BORDER CONTROLS.(European People's Party)(Brief article)
February 18, 2006... Migration policy and security of borders was the theme of a summit that brought together top figures in the European People's Party-European Democrats in Brussels on February 6. EPP-ED President in the European Parliament Hans-Gert Pottering...

UNIONS CONDEMN TAKEOVER MITTAL/ARCELOR BID.(European Metalworkers' Federation, Mittal Steel Company N.V.)(Brief article)
February 18, 2006... The European Metalworkers' Federation (EMF) has condemned Mittal Steel's multi-billion euro hostile takeover bid on European steel giant Arcelor. The union claims that a takeover would "threaten to decrease the number of jobs in the steel...

LAWYERS' FIXED FEES REGIME SLAMMED BY ECJ ADVOCATE-GENERAL.(European Court of Justice)(Brief article)
February 18, 2006... Italy may be eventually forced to scrap its system of fixing minimum and maximum fees that lawyers must be paid. Such a regime restricts the free movement of services in the Internal Market and cannot be justified on public interest grounds,...

NETWORK FOR SHARING DATA ON ILLEGAL MIGRATION DEVELOPED.(Brief article)
February 18, 2006... A web-based network encouraging member states to share data on illegal immigration is being developed by the European Commission. The network, called ICONET, was set up by the EU Council of Ministers in March 2005 but the Commission has only...

BROADBAND INTERNET ACCESS IN ALL PORTUGUESE SCHOOLS.(Brief article)
February 18, 2006... All public schools in Portugal are now equipped with Broadband internet access, announced the Portuguese Prime Minister, Jose Socrates, on January 31, on completion of the installation of the access in the last establishment in Portel (160 km...