China has been a member of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) since 2001 but it is not recognised as a market economy by any of its major trading partners, including the EU and the US. China's WTO Accession Protocol allowed WTO members not to grant “Market Economy Status” (MES) to China for a period up to 11 December 2016. Not applying MES to China allows the EU to use alternative methods for calculating dumping margins (that apply to Non-Market Economies, NMEs, often based on the higher prices applying in third countries).

ETUC position on single market strategy for Europe    Adopted at the ETUC Executive Committee on 16-17 December 2015 Key points The conflict between the exercise of fundamental rights and economic freedoms and the development of unfair competition in the single market can no longer be ignored. The ETUC recalls the importance of quality jobs, the principle of equal treatment between all workers at the same workplace and urges the EU institutions to adopt a social progress protocol.

ETUC assessment of the European Commission Work Programme 2016   ETUC position adopted at the ETUC Executive Commitee on the 16-17 December 2015 Introduction   This paper provides an ETUC assessment of the European Commission’s (EC) Work Programme 2016 (WP) No Time for Business as Usual.  

Key Issues Good work-life balance has a positive impact on the well-being of workers. It can also contribute to achieving major EU policy goals: stimulating employment (especially among women and older workers) and growth; promoting children and youth development; and eventually achieving gender equality.

ETUC POSITION ON THE STRUCTURAL REFORM OF THE EU EMISSIONS TRADING SYSTEM Approved at the Executive Committee Meeting of 16-17 December 2015

Completing Economic and Monetary Union: Rebalancing European Economic Governance (ETUC position) Adopted at the ETUC Executive Committee on 16-17 December 2015 Introduction The Commission Communication of 21 October describes the initiatives the Commission will undertake in stage 1 of the process to deepen EMU. In this stage, the Commission will intensify the use of policy instruments and levers that already exist within the current Treaties in order to improve the functioning of EMU.

ETUC position on the Annual Growth Survey 2016 - for a Europe that works for workers and citizens Adopted at the ETUC Executive meeting on 28-29 October 2015 Introduction This document sets out the European trade union movement’s views and priorities for the 2016 Annual Growth Survey and the European Semester. It builds on the comments expressed in the consultation meeting between the European Commission and the European social partners on 23 September 2015.

ETUC position on National Competitiveness Boards  Adopted at the ETUC Executive Committee on 28-29 October 2015 Introduction On 21 October the Commission adopted a Recommendation for a Council Recommendation requiring euro area member states to establish national Competitiveness Boards. At the level of each (euro area) member state, these boards aim to: a)    monitor competitiveness developments relative to global competitors (including labour costs).

Proposal for an Interinstitutional Agreement on Better Regulation – ETUC position paper Key messages

Endorsed by the Executive Committee at its meeting on 17-18 June 2015 In its Communication “A digital single market strategy for Europe” (6 May 2015) the Commission adopts the traditional internal market approach. 

Position adopted by the Executive Committee of 17-18 June 2015 In December 2015, countries will meet in Paris under the UN auspices to seal a new global agreement to fight climate change. Ahead of this crucial summit, the ETUC reiterates its key demands to Parties, and specifically to the EU which must continue to play a leading role in the negotiations.

Position adopted by the Executive Committee of 10 and 11 March 2015 Quality job creation should be the number one priority. Twenty-four million men and women, and five million under 25s, are currently unemployed and some 10 million jobs have been destroyed since the onset of the crisis in 2008. Although unemployment levels have finally starting going in the right direction, Europe’s job-rich recovery continues to fail to materialise.

Adopted at the ETUC Executive Committee on 2-3 December 2014     The European Commission will review the framework of European economic governance in a communication to be published next month. With this note, the ETUC intends to contribute to this review. The note first provides a short and general evaluation of European economic governance, and then recommends a number of substantive changes and different policy approaches which the ETUC believes are required to deliver an effective European economic governance framework.