Monetary and fiscal policies

Higher taxes on the highest incomes are needed to redistribute wealth and tackle soaring inequality, and increase public revenues and spending. The ETUC supports the introduction of an EU-wide Financial Transactions Tax (FTT) and a common corporate tax of at least 25%.

In recent years, shocking levels of tax evasion and fraud, tax avoidance, and tax competition through preferential tax rates for international companies have been uncovered across Europe. They lead to a loss of public funds and general disillusionment with unfair policies that penalise the poor while offering massive benefits to the very rich. These practices must end, and the criminal perpetrators punished.

23.08.2024 Press release

Firefighters cut in 12 EU countries despite rising climate risk

The number of firefighters was cut in a dozen EU member states last year despite a rising risk of fires caused by climate change, an analysis of new EU data by the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) has found. Eurostat figures published today show that there were 362,400 firefighters in the EU in 2023, which is an increase of 3,200 on the previous year. 
26.10.2023 Press release

Record rates require windfall tax on banks

Trade unions are calling on governments to impose a windfall tax on banks making huge profits on the back of interest rate rises. The European Central Bank announced today it is maintaining interest rates at their highest level since the creation of the Euro following 10 consecutive increases over the past year.
13.10.2023 Press release

Unions protest against 45bn EU austerity plan

Tens of thousands of people will take part in a major demonstration in Paris on Friday against EU plans to reintroduce austerity, a move which could force countries to cut 45 billion Euro from their budgets next year alone. Trade unionists from across Europe will join a day of action called by eight French unions against austerity and for pay rises, pensions and gender equality.
01.06.2022 Page

Latvian social partners agree on a vision for the future

Social Partners in Latvia have signed a Memorandum of Understanding designed to promote social progress and help the country deal with the impacts of the Covid pandemic and the war in Ukraine. The Latvian Free Trade Union Confederation (LBAS), together with representatives from business, commerce and industry, the scientific community and local government, pledged to work to make Latvia an economically developed, competitive and secure country, with a modern education system, accessible health care for everyone and a future for every Latvian.
23.05.2022 Speech

Macroeconomic Dialogue at Political level - Speaking notes of Luca Visentini and Liina Carr

Macroeconomic Dialogue at Political level – 23/05/2022   ETUC General Secretary Luca Visentini’s speaking notes General Outlook
14.03.2022 Document

Manifesto for a Green, Just and Democratic European Economy

We are civil society organisations, think tanks, trade unions and employers supported by academics from across the European Union. We have come together to call for fundamental reform of the EU’s fiscal rules.
02.03.2022 Press release

Hopeful signs EU Commission on right course to promote investment

The emphasis placed today by the European Commission on the need to promote investment and sustainable growth, and on ‘differentiated fiscal strategies’, in its 2023 Fiscal Guidelines is a hopeful sign for a major shift in EU economic policy and reform in economic policy-making rules says ETUC.
08.07.2021 Speech

Luca Visentini speech to Informal EPSCO, Ljubljana, 8 July 2021

Minister, Vice President, Commissioner, Ministers, colleagues of social partners and social platform, Managing the COVID Emergency was essential to protect jobs and businesses and make our labor market resilient. Now that we are getting out of the pandemic, we need to bridge the gap before recovery starts, in order to avoid an explosion of unemployment. Emergency measures to protect jobs, wages and working conditions, and to strengthen social protection systems must be continued for all the time necessary.
08.04.2020 Press release

ETUC: working people cannot wait while the Eurogroup wrangles

Criticising the failure of the Eurogroup to give its support to the EU’s €500bn package of economic aid to deal with the economic impact of corona virus, and continuing divisions over Eurobonds and ‘conditionalities’ for ESM funding,  ETUC General Secretary Luca Visentini said:
07.11.2019 Press release

ETUC on Autumn Economic Forecast

Commenting on today's European Commission Autumn Economic Forecast, ETUC General Secretary Luca Visentini said: “The Commission’s economic forecast shows Europe rests on the edge of another recession despite the fact that workers’ living standards still haven’t recovered from the last financial crisis. Even the good overall employment rate is based on a rise in precarious work.
06.12.2017 Press release

ETUC reaction to EMU package

“The architecture of EMU is clearly not complete” said Luca Visentini, General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC). “Economic & Monetary Union does need stronger and more coherent governance and resources to ensure the long-term future of the Euro. The package presented by the European Commission is important and member states need to find the political will to take the necessary steps. “Far from going too far, the implementation dates are too late. These changes should be brought forward.”
05.12.2017 Press release

Ministers agree list of tax havens – only outside EU

Commenting on the list of tax havens agreed by Finance Ministers today, Katja Lehto-Komulainen, Deputy General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) said:   “Any action against tax avoidance is good news, but we will continue to press for full disclosure of economic activities in all countries without exception, and common tax rules and minimum rates. What has been agreed today needs to be followed up by further action in future meetings.  
10.07.2017 Document

Reflection paper on the Deepening of the Economic and Monetary Union – ETUC assessment (ETUC position)

Reflection paper on the Deepening of the Economic and Monetary Union – ETUC assessment (ETUC position) Adopted at the ETUC Executive Committee on 13-14 June 2017 All quotes, if not otherwise mentioned, are from the Reflection paper on the deepening of the economic and monetary union, European Commission, 31 May 2017, available at: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/publications/reflection-paper-deepening-economic-and-monetary-union_en Introduction
23.02.2017 Document

ETUC Position Paper: A European Treasury for Public Investment

ETUC Position Paper: A European Treasury for Public Investment Adopted at the ETUC Executive Committee on 15-16 March 2017 
20.01.2017 Press release

Eurozone President should focus on growth not insults

The President of the Eurogroup, Jeroen Dijsselbloem, “should focus on policy changes to boost recovery instead of making stupid comments”, said Katja Lehto-Komulainen, Deputy General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation.
09.11.2016 Press release

Gathering storm threatens to blow away weak recovery

Commenting on the European Commission’s autumn economic forecast, Veronica Nilsson, Deputy General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) said “Global uncertainty and a weak and unequal recovery, providing too few and precarious jobs, are creating the conditions for a social and political storm that could blow away any modest progress in Europe’s fortunes. “It is a gathering storm which has to be deflected through a determined change in economic course.
16.10.2016 Document

ETUC position on the Common Consolidated Corporate Tax Base (CCCTB)

Adopted at the Executive Committee Meeting of 14-15 December 2016 Summary
23.09.2016 Document

EU Summit in Bratislava: ETUC statement

The outcome of the Bratislava Summit falls well short of the expectations of the ETUC, and of the joint statement made by trade unions and civil society organisations ‘A new Europe for people, planet and prosperity for all’ https://www.etuc.org/press/new-europe-people-planet-and-prosperity-all#.V9_HZ_B97cs.   The Bratislava Declaration and Roadmap are as notable for what they do not say, as for the few vague things they do say.
21.09.2016 Press release

OECD interim economic outlook

The OECD today calls for more investment and for investment to be excluded from Eurozone fiscal rules. It also notes that high inequality and stagnant wages make growth more difficult. Key quotes from the Outlook include “Poor growth outcomes combined with high inequality and stagnant incomes are further complicating the political environment, making it more difficult to pursue policies that would support growth and promote inclusiveness.”
12.07.2016 Press release

Don't fine Portugal or Spain!

Commenting on the ECOFIN decision that triggers sanctions on Portugal and Spain for excessive deficits, ETUC Deputy General Secretary Veronica Nilsson said "I call on the Commission not to impose heavy fines on Portugal and Spain, and not to withhold EU funds." "Apart from the obvious absurdity of fining a country for allegedly spending too much, big fines will hit growth, jobs and public services in two countries that are already struggling. At a time of painfully slow recovery large fines would be irresponsible."
26.05.2016 Press release

Beware the "innovation principle"

The Competitiveness Council on 26-27 May 2016 will discuss adopting an "innovation principle" for EU law-making. This would require the Commission to investigate the potential effect of legislation on research and innovation, during the “impact assessment" phase of the legislative process, before it is submitted to the Parliament and Council for democratic debate. This harmless-sounding clause has been strongly lobbied for by several corporate-led organisations.
27.04.2016 Document

SUP – "the European Panama"

Brussels, 27 April 2016 Open letter to the Members of the Legal Affairs Committee Cc: Commissioner Jourovà Re: SUP - "the European Panama" Dear Member of the European Parliament,
05.04.2016 Document

Commission proposal on disclosure of income tax information by certain multinational corporations

Letter for the attention of Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission  Brussels, 5 April, 2016 Commission proposal on disclosure of income tax information by certain multinational corporations Dear President Juncker,
04.04.2016 Press release

Panama Papers: tax dodging must be stopped, says ETUC

The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) is outraged by the extent of top-level tax evasion and financial corruption revealed by the so-called Panama Papers. More than 11 million leaked files from the database of secretive Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca show that some of the world’s wealthiest and most powerful people, including political leaders and celebrities, are evading tax and hiding their cash in shady offshore funds that also finance companies involved in money laundering, arms deals and drug trafficking.
26.02.2016 Press release

Country Reports: delivering Juncker's fairer EMU?

The European Commission’s Country Reports – due to be issued today – are a test of its commitment to a fairer EMU (a key part of President Juncker’s programme); involving trade unions and employers in the economic semester process (a key part of the Commission’s relaunch of social dialogue in March 2015).     The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) and its national trade union members are actively involved in the semester process, and have submitted recommendations for the country reports of each member state.