Brussels, 04/12/2006
The ETUC was alarmed by moves outlined in the European Commission's Communication of October 2006 towards bilateral free trade agreements, which appear to give social and environmental objectives a back seat. In the view of the ETUC, it is through trade negotiations that the EU can best use its weight to promote good jobs, social protection, workers' rights and conflict prevention worldwide. The EU must adopt a coherent strategy that respects all its policies.
At the same time, the EU has a duty to set the highest possible standards for its own workforce. “Europe is missing out on the opportunity to provide a real and sustainable answer to global competition by working together and investing together in research, innovation, knowledge for everyone, decent jobs with fair working conditions and a dynamic economy,” John Monks will tell conference participants, including EU Trade and Social Affairs Commissioners Peter Mandelson and Vladimir Spidla. The current situation at Volkswagen in Brussels shows that “worthy declarations” are failing to help workers at a practical level.
The ETUC General Secretary will welcome the Employment Council's emphasis, in its conclusions on decent work (1.12.06), on involving the social partners, and call for common EU employment standards to avoid workers in different countries being played off against one another.
Attached: John Monks' speaking notes