Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-10-23-Speech-1-068"
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"en.20001023.7.1-068"2
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"Mr President, for almost half a century European integration has been based on the economy. Indeed we spoke of a European Economic Community. The priority was given to setting up a common market, with the principle of the free movement of property, goods and capital, the establishment of rules governing competition between firms and state aid. Social policy served to mitigate the most damaging effects of economic policies. The provisions enshrined in the Treaty of Rome were confined to the principle of equal pay for men and women (Article 141) and the freedom of movement of workers.
The Commission communication and Mrs Van Lancker’s report have the merit of remedying this imbalance by acknowledging the interaction between social and economic policy and employment policy. Mrs Van Lancker’s report is an ambitious one. The rapporteur effectively asks the Commission to intensify the agenda, chiefly in the following areas: Employment, with the framing of a European pact for employment and social cohesion, as concerns lifelong training and the introduction of prior cross-border testing of social and fiscal legislation. Next, in the area of social dialogue, this intensification would be expressed by adopting a directive on employee information and consultation, and the European Works Council Directive, with a revision of the directives on redundancies. Finally, in the area of social protection, it would take the form of pursuing a strategy of convergence. It is a veritable catalogue of measures which is more a declaration of intent than a plan that could be implemented in the medium term.
In conclusion, the objective of giving new impetus to European social policy in the face of globalisation, enlargement and an ageing population is a laudable one. It demonstrates that economic competitiveness and social cohesion are not mutually exclusive. The method used, on the other hand, seems more debatable. Regarding the financing of NGOs and their participation in Community policies, there is still no legal basis in the Treaty, paragraph 13. Similarly, with the new social agenda, there is a desire to pass legislation at Community level, at the risk of harmonising to minimum standards and short-circuiting social relations within the Member States."@en1
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