Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2008-09-02-Speech-2-033"
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"en.20080902.4.2-033"2
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"Mr President, Commissioner, Minister, ladies and gentlemen, it seems to have taken the ‘no’ vote in Ireland, the victory of the opponents of a communal Europe, to shake the Commission out of its lethargy. The fact is that the Commission has long been distancing itself from the interests of the Union’s citizens by pursuing its neo-liberal policy. The demand for a more socially responsible Europe has long been on the agenda.
It is downright embarrassing to see the omissions of past years finally being piled on the table at the end of this term of office. I also find it brass-necked that the whole thing is being sold to us under the fanciful title of a new social agenda. The issues under discussion in July should have been dealt with long ago. When we examine their substance, it seems as though the Commission has not yet learned its lesson after all. Apart from two exceptions, today’s proposals say nothing of solidarity, equal opportunities, social balance or public participation. On the contrary, they are largely another product of a basic neo-liberal attitude.
The Commission calls for more mobility of labour. At the same time, it is seeking court judgments that would reduce the protection of posted workers. As an afterthought it says that we shall resolve the problem in a forum. Workers, however, need protection, not a forum. Do you really believe it will help people who are being deprived of their wages every day if you tell them to wait until you have discussed their problems in some forum? Moreover, Commissioner, the amended Works Council Directive, which is nine years overdue, does not deliver on your promises. Parliament will have to make numerous improvements to this draft. For example, there is no provision at all for sanction mechanisms.
Let us move on, though, to the subject of solidarity. The Health Directive ignores criticism by opening the door to more market-driven health services, thereby undermining the principle of solidarity in the Member States’ welfare systems. It jeopardises solidarity instead of bolstering it. There are few components of this package that truly reflect people’s desire for a progressive European social policy. One that I should like to highlight is the new directive against discrimination outside the workplace. This instrument, however, was first announced in 2004, and parliamentary pressure is the only reason why the Commission has finally presented it. It is clear that a majority of Parliament will support this directive too. It will likewise need improving in many places, however, especially as regards the rights of people with disabilities.
On the whole, the name ‘social package’ is quite simply a misrepresentation. In my opinion, the Commission’s record on social policy tells a sorry tale."@en1
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