Brussels, 10/12/2012
The awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to EU last October was hailed by the ETUC. On that occasion, the ETUC reiterated the need to guarantee social stability in the Union. The first clear signal to that end must be the abandoning of austerity policies. In their place, the European trade union proposes a social compact based on social justice.
The social question cannot be considered as a by-product of the economy or omitted from the plans of the Council and the Commission that are currently being developed. Workers expressed their anger and concern last November 14th. Taking account of social concerns must be an integral part of EU policies. To guarantee its full entitlement to this Prize, the Union must make sure that the social dimension is not considered as an obstacle or an adjustment variable. Europe must come across as the solution, not as the problem.