Speech given by Bernadette Ségol, General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation 2015 Biennial Delegate Conference (ICTU) 9 July 2015, Ennis [Check against delivery]   President, delegates,   I am honoured to address you once more – for the third and last time as ETUC General Secretary- at your Biennial Delegate Conference.  

Adopted by the Executive Committee of 2-3 December 2014

Adopted by the Executive Committee at its meeting on 21-22 October 2014 Economic policies followed until now to tackle the economic and social crisis have failed. They brought about low growth and deflation, increased precarious work and unemployment, particularly youth unemployment, rising poverty and inequalities. Divergences within and between countries increased.  Competition has been extended to all fields, including taxation, workers’ rights, workers’ wages, workers’ protection, working conditions, and social protection. 

Adopted at the meeting of the Executive Committee on 11-12 March 2014     The European Council of 21 March 2014 will address industrial policy, energy and the fight against climate change. On 22 January 2014, the European Commission published two communications entitled "For a European Industrial Renaissance" and "A policy framework for climate and energy in the period from 2020 to 2030". The aim of this declaration is to remind Europe's political leaders of some key elements of the ETUC's position on these issues.  

Brussels, 03-04/12/2013

Adopted at the meeting of the Executive Committee on 3-4 December 2013   With the publication of REFIT (Regulatory Fitness and Performance: Results and Next Steps) on 2 October 2013, the Commission took yet another step in a process aimed at the deregulation of Europe, the dismantling of legislation protecting workers’ rights and the weakening of social dialogue.

Brussels, 22-23/10/2013 The President of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz, declared the shutdown of ERT a threat to “freedom and pluralism in the media”. The public media as an independent voice is a pillar of western democratic systems and has the permanent role of monitoring and supervision of the other powers. Never before has such a case of the quasi elimination of the media happened in democratic systems. This case once again shows that economic democracy and democracy in the workplace in particular need to be strengthened.