Brussels, 02/04/2009 This vote significantly improves the initial proposal for the directive and addresses ETUC’s key concerns, notably patients’ rights and the scope of the directive, which is now limited to cross-border patient care and does not include freedom of movement of service providers. Improvements should nevertheless also be made:

Brussels, 01/04/2009 ‘In the view of ETUC, health and safety at the workplace must be priorities and are to be implemented long the lines of the precautionary principle. In this way, we can achieve a socially responsible and acceptable development of nanotechnologies. We do not want to repeat the errors of asbestos and GMOs.’ With its call for the application of REACH, ETUC relies on the principle of reversal of the burden of proof and thus the manufacturer’s liability. Both workers and consumers need transparent information.

Madrid, 01/04/2009 Employment first Candido, delegates, friends, I bring thanks and greetings from the European Trade Union Confederation to the UGT Spain. I bring you thanks because you are one of the most loyal and constant supporters of the work of the ETUC. You are not a fair weather friend. You are a companion and a comrade for all seasons – and I know that, on behalf of the ITUC, Guy Ryder feels the same way.

Brussels, 31/03/2009 These figures show that fiscal and monetary policy in Europe is not doing enough to support the economy.

Brussels, 31/03/2009 Chemicals bring benefits with which our society could not do without and there is no denying that the EU chemicals industry also contributes to our economic prosperity in terms of trade and jobs. However, European workers pay a high price for the use of chemicals in workplaces. About one in three of the occupational diseases recognised each year in Europe is due to the exposure to hazardous chemicals, according to the ETUI study REACHing the workplace.

Brussels, 27/03/2009 The unemployment figures are very bleak and are predicted to top 10% across the European Union. It is urgent for the decisionmakers to abandon any complacency affirming that the national state welfare systems act as a social buffer instead of tackling the problems head on and showing evidence of a genuine political determination to get out of the rut.

Brussels, 26/03/2009 Subcontracting has experienced a boom in recent decades that has benefited a great number of enterprises; however, it also means that labour is externalised to subcontractors and employment agencies. Subcontracting is increasingly misused by main contractors to circumvent their legal and financial obligations with the aim of reducing labour costs. Evidence points out that a great number of social fraud cases exist in long and complex chains of subcontracting.

Brussels, 25/03/2009 With this open letter, the trade union movement expresses its discontent over the way the negotiations are proceeding and the limited participation of civil society in these negotiations. The proposal for a social chapter, tabled several months ago by the trade unions as a way of guaranteeing socio-professional rights, have not been taken into account to date.

Brussels, 23/03/2009

Brussels, 23/03/2009 A trade union delegation composed of John Monks and the leaders of the Belgian trade unions will meet, on Monday 23 March, Belgian Prime Minister Herman Van Rompuy and the deputy prime ministers, as well as European Commission President José Manuel Barroso, to assess the European Summit on 19 and 20 March and to prepare the G20 in London.

Brussels, 17/03/2009

Brussels, 17/03/2009 Economic forecasts are bad and are even getting worse. Unemployment will rise fast and reach more than 10% by 2010. This situation will further weaken the position of certain population groups. Indeed, the European labour market is flexible but not secure. Workers are suffering mass redundancies, while their rights to robust unemployment benefits have been hollowed out by years of structural reforms and widespread precarious employment practices.

Brussels, 16/03/2009 On the agenda is a resolution calling for strong European leadership to guide the markets out of the recession. The trade union leaders will discuss a framework of actions required to prevent the current recession turning into a new depression. In addition, they will launch a European-wide campaign to ‘Fight the crisis: put the people first’, culminating in three action days in Berlin, Brussels, Madrid and Prague on 14–16 May.