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Social Developments in the European Union 2008 European Trade Union Institute Bd du Roi Albert II, 5 1210 Brussels Belgium Tel.: +32 (0)2 224 04 70 Fax: +32 (0)2 224 05 02 [email protected] www.etui.org Social developments in the European Union 2008 Edited by Social developments Christophe Degryse in the European Union The urgent problem of global warming was compounded, in 2008, by a prolifera- tion of crises – food, financial, economic, social, etc. – reinforcing the need for 2008 the European Union to play a stronger role in building a new model of develop- ment, both internationally and at home. The entire range of Community policies — is affected here: from agricultural policy to competition policy, via the Stabil- Edited by ity and Growth Pact, trade, employment, and so on. This tenth edition of Social Christophe Degryse developments examines how the EU can tackle the new challenges assailing it. We find that the specific circumstances of this crisis period considerably broaden the scope for debate. 2008 Union in the European developments Social Degryse by Christophe Edited This edition also looks at the social policy issues that featured on the European agenda in 2008: working time, European Works Councils, social dialogue, the posting of workers, free movement of patients. These issues cannot be dissoci- ated from the global challenges. The EU must in fact contribute more to an often neglected aspect of the transition to a new sustainable form of economic govern- ance: its social dimension. After all, how is that transition to win the support of Europe’s population unless its social dimension is enhanced? Price : € 20 D/2009/10.574/10 ISBN: 978-2-87452-146-1 Observatoire social européen, asbl Rue Paul-Emile Janson, 13 B-1050 Bruxelles 9 782874 521461 www.ose.be Social developments in the European Union 2008 Social developments in the European Union 2008 Tenth annual report — edited by Christophe Degryse European Trade Union Institute (ETUI) Observatoire social européen (OSE) asbl Acknowlegdements Social developments in the European Union is the product of a collective effort. In addition to the authors of the various contributions (see list at end of volume), we are particularly grateful to the researchers of the European Trade Union Institute (ETUI) for their careful scrutiny of the text and judicious comments. We naturally take full responsibility for the views expressed in this volume. We should also like to thank Reiner Hoffmann of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) and Maria Jepsen and Philippe Pochet of the European Trade Union Institute (ETUI). On the organisational side, we are greatly indebted to Valérie Cotulelli for formatting the text, Françoise Verri for co-ordinating the translation, and Dominique Jadot for supplying the chronological references included at the end of the volume. Translation from the French by Janet Altman and her team. Brussels, 2009 © Publisher: ETUI, Brussels All rights reserved Print: ETUI Printshop, Brussels D/2009/10.574/10 ISBN: 978-2-87452-146-1 Price: 20 € Report commissioned from the Observatoire social européen, asbl by the European Trade Union Institute and the European Trade Union Confederation. The ETUI is financially supported by the European Community. The European Community is not responsible for any use made of the information contained in this publication. Table of contents Preface ................................................................................................................................................ 9 Christophe Degryse Foreword ......................................................................................................................................... 11 Olivier De Schutter The global food crisis and the EU: how to rescue a system that failed ................ 23 1. The global food crisis: a diagnosis .................................................................................. 23 2. The EU’s answers .................................................................................................................. 26 3. Towards sustainability in the production and consumption of agrofuels ......... 27 4. International trade negotiations and the ‘Global Europe’ agenda ...................... 32 5. The Facility for a rapid response to soaring food prices in developing countries .. 38 Conclusion ...................................................................................................................................... 40 Jacques Sapir The social roots of the financial crisis: implications for Europe .............................. 45 1. Households burdened with debt and struggling to make ends meet ................ 45 2. The crisis, an effect of globalisation .............................................................................. 54 Conclusion ...................................................................................................................................... 66 Patrick Loire and Jean-Jacques Paris Case study: the impact of climate change policies on the automotive industry .... 71 Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 71 1. Evolution of the automotive industry before the crisis: emergence of the ‘green dimension’ as a source of dynamism ................................................................ 74 2. The appropriateness of European policies on climate change: is the glass half empty or half full? ....................................................................................................... 76 3. A ‘new European car for safe and sustainable transport’ as a response to the crisis .............................................................................................................................. 80 4. Mobilising stakeholders to bring about change ......................................................... 84 Conclusion ...................................................................................................................................... 89 Annexes ........................................................................................................................................... 91 Social developments in the European Union 2008 5 Philippe Pochet and Christophe Degryse The Social Agenda: is ‘hard law’ making a come-back? .............................................. 93 Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 93 1. The evolution of European social legislation since 1975 ....................................... 94 2. The Renewed Social Agenda ............................................................................................. 98 3. The proposal for a directive on working time and the agreement on temporary agency work ................................................................................................... 101 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................... 109 Romuald Jagodzinski Review, revision or recast? The quest for an amended EWC Directive .............. 113 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 113 1. The prelude to the EWC directive of 1994 ............................................................... 114 2. The first missed deadline for revision ......................................................................... 115 3. Position of the European Trade Union Confederation ............................................ 115 4. The employers’ organisations ........................................................................................ 116 5. 2008: the final phase in the quest for an EWC revision ...................................... 118 6. Reactions of the social partners ................................................................................... 123 7. The new EWC directive .................................................................................................... 126 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................... 132 Isabelle Schömann European social dialogue: collective autonomy at European level? .................... 137 1. The 2003-2005 work programme: a decisive initiative ....................................... 138 2. The 2006-2008 work programme: significant results ............................................ 140 3. Impact of the European social partners’ 2006-2008 work programme ........ 147 Conclusion: a degree of European collective autonomy .............................................. 151 Rita Baeten The proposal for a directive on patients’ rights in cross-border healthcare .... 155 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 155 1. The laborious path towards a proposal ...................................................................... 156 2. Analysis of the proposal .................................................................................................. 158 3. The social objectives and steering instruments of healthcare systems and the proposal ................................................................................................................ 169 4. The decision-making process ........................................................................................
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