Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-10-23-Speech-1-058"
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"en.20001023.7.1-058"2
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".
Mr President, Commissioner, Minister, ladies and gentlemen, may I first and foremost thank my fellow MEPs and the Commissioner together with her offices for the excellent cooperation we have had in the framework of this report, and may I also seize this opportunity to express my gratitude for the contributions of the many NGOs, the social partners and the experts who have helped us formulate an ambitious social agenda on behalf of Parliament? It has often been said that ‘social policy is a productive factor’ and this is true, for a society with greater social cohesion is also a society which performs better. However, social policy does have its own rights; social policy must ensure that inequalities are ironed out, that social cohesion is promoted and that people’s quality of life improves. That is why this social agenda deserves a far more prominent position in European policy. The Lisbon Summit has given us the opportunity to lend more weight to social policy; we must seize that opportunity with both hands.
It was with great delight that I noted that the Commission and the French Presidency want an ambitious social agenda, and I believe, Commissioner and Minister, that we fully endorse the objectives. I would therefore like to use some of my speaking time in this debate to draw attention to a number of points which Parliament would like to reinforce in this agenda.
The first point relates to the strategy. The social agenda must raise the profile of social Europe among the citizens, and that is why we are in favour of defining measures, priorities and instruments more clearly and with greater intensity. We must be able to see where progress is being made; this progress must be measurable and the social agenda must be afforded centre stage in the political discussion at European level. Hence our urgent appeal in favour of the introduction of a social scoreboard, similar to the one already in use in the internal market, which details specific measures, expiry dates and deadlines. Hence also our appeal in favour of having social agenda discussions at the annual spring Summit.
Secondly, I would like to comment on the instruments. It is true that the open method of coordination, which has been used within the sphere of employment since Luxembourg, has brought fantastic new openings in fields which up to now were only subject to national authority. We would therefore ask that this method be reinforced and, as has now been decided by the Social Affairs Council, be applied to combat social exclusion and poverty. Furthermore, we would very much like to see this major innovative method being deployed to make progress in the modernisation strategy of social security.
Thirdly, there is a ‘but’. Stressing the importance of this open coordination method does not mean that this method should replace social legislation, because we should lay down social rights in Europe too. We should have the nerve to formulate minimum social standards and draft social legislation which is necessary within the framework of a European internal market. Parliament is of the opinion that the Commission could lend a helping hand here and there, for example where individual and collective workers’ rights are concerned, where more security in new types of labour are concerned, or as regards the protection of health and safety relating to new risks in the workplace. In addition, we believe it is crucial that the European Commission should take the initiative to re-establish the link with the ’92 recommendations in order to underpin Member States’ efforts to guarantee everyone a right to a reasonable income. Only then can the fight against poverty be efficient.
Needless to say, the social partners are major players when it comes to achieving this agenda, where lifelong learning is concerned for example, or the organisation of working time, and new forms of work, and we hope that they will be prepared to negotiate within all these fields. However, Commissioner, if this consultation does not yield results, we would also ask the Commission to use its right of initiative to the full.
I would like to finish off by making two remarks: as we endeavour to achieve the European social agenda it is essential to establish a close partnership, a partnership between institutions, and with the Member States, the social partners, but also with the many social NGOs which have a key role to play in the realisation of the agenda. Here too, we believe that Europe should take an initiative as a matter of urgency to reinforce this dialogue with the citizens and the dialogue with the social NGOs.
Finally, social policy should not be viewed in isolation. It must be integrated into all EU policies. I am convinced that Europe will only be social when a social dimension is added to economic policy, competition policy, external policy and the entire enlargement discussion. I hope, Minister, that the Council will be inspired by Parliament’s expectations, and I hope that you will succeed in setting ambitious goals at the Nice Summit for a European social agenda, which we can work towards together over the next couple of years."@en1
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