(21/10/05) Sociaal Europa: meer flexibiliteit mag niet leiden tot sociale dumping

• 2005-10-22

Commission proposal on globalisation:

Flexibility cannot be achieved through slashing workers' rights

Reacting to the presentation yesterday by European Commission President José Manuel Barroso of proposals for how the EU can face the challenge of globalisation, Jean Lambert , UK Green coordinator of the Parliament's employment committee, said:

"The EU is paying the price for not having properly assessed the implications of globalisation. We assumed that we would be the winners when it was obvious that we would face challenges from India, China and other countries."

"There is a crisis of confidence in Social Europe and the EU should ensure that its policies do not undermine social values. Strong services of general interest are an essential part of social Europe and play an important role in social mobility. The Services Directive should be changed to make it clear that it doesn't threaten these crucial services."

German Green member of the employment committee, Elisabeth Schroedter , added:

"A social Europe will only be successful if the much referred to common social values for workers are also reflected in concrete legal minimum standards. The European Parliament, for instance, has made clear proposals on the working time directive and part-time agency workers. Yet these proposals have not enjoyed the Commission's support up to now.

"These and other minimum standards are the prerequisite for preventing social dumping and playing one worker off against another. The aim of greater flexibility and adaptability in a more competitive Europe must not be achieved on the back of workers' rights. The European employment goal is not only more jobs, but also better jobs."

Mededeling van de Europese Commissie