COMMITTEE ON EMPLOYMENT AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS
Notice to members 1/2004
19 December 2003
Report of the Employment Committee Delegation to Dublin
Meeting with the Irish Presidency
24-25 November 2003
The delegation had a one and half-day programme. On the first day, Monday 24 November, the delegation met with Dick Roche, Minister for EU Affairs and visited an IT training project (Fastrack into Information Technology).
On Tuesday 25 November, the delegation met with Ministers Frank Fahey (Labour Affairs) and Mary Coughlan (Social and Family Affairs), with representatives of the Social Partners and also held a meeting with members of the Committee on Enterprise and Small Business as well as the Committee on Social and Family Affairs.
Monday 24 November 2003 p.m.
The EMPL delegation started with a briefing on the political, economic and social situation in the country by the head of the European Parliament's office in Ireland, Mr James O'Brien. The meeting with Minister Roche focused on the Lisbon agenda and the need to making the EU more jobs friendly. The Minister stressed the importance attached to the KOK report and to unrestricted access to the single market.
Regarding the IGC he was steadfast in his defence of the need to maintain unanimity in the area of taxation and criticised the idea of a "passerelle" as not very democratic. He highlighted the danger of moving up in the tax rate to the detriment of consumption (and employment) in the case of harmonisation of the tax rates. Members argued that by maintaining tax competition there is the possibility of a loss of revenue that could benefit social programmes.
The Minister stressed the need to address the challenge of bridging the divide between the citizen and the EU. He invited the European Parliament to contribute in developing an initiative focused on creating linkages with the citizen.
CM\480025EN.doc PE 324.364 Or. EN EN EN Fastrack into Information Society (FIT) The presentation of this programme offered an example of partnership between government and business. The programme aims at the integration of disadvantaged persons into the labour market and addresses the changing profile of jobs by offering specific training on IT skills. The programme runs on a voluntary basis with the involvement of more than 70 organisations, while individual participants to the programme retain their allowances (unemployment or other). This programme offers an example of CSR that has met considerable success in combating the digital divide.
Tuesday 25 November 2003
The meeting with Ministers Frank Fahey and Mary Coughlan, offered an overview of the Irish Presidency's priorities in the field of labour and social affairs (see draft programme in the annex). These focus on rendering employment attractive (make work pay), preparing the workplace of the future and working towards an "achievable" agenda for Lisbon. On the legislative side, the importance of concluding work on 1408/71 was stressed. Minister Coughlan indicated that a political agreement should be reached by 1st December and that work on the annexes should also be concluded by 22 December so as to facilitate the presentation of the Common Position to the EP.
The Working Time Directive, for which the consultation of social partners is under way, will be discussed at the March Council, while the (eventual) revision of the European Works Council Directive will be also discussed at the Tripartite Social Summit. For the Temporary Workers Agency (TWA) the Ministers indicated that they did not expect any developments. Although Ireland is one of the four countries blocking the adoption of the Directive, the Ministers stressed that they support the flexibility that comes with it, as in Ireland many temporary workers are in the higher end of the market. They also stressed that these workers have the right to equal treatment under the Irish law.
Meeting with the social partners The contacts with the Irish Business and Employers Confederation (IBEC) and the Irish Congress of Trade Unions highlighted the benefits brought by the social partnership model, which was introduced at the time of high unemployment. The combination of policies favouring foreign direct investment and a stable social environment contributed to the prosperity of the country. However, rapid economic development neglected the strengthening of some social services like childcare. This is recognised as one major hurdle in increasing the participation of women in the labour market. At the same time about 75% of part-time workers are women (a third of the whole female working population) and this situation explains partially the wage gap between men and women. The trade unions expressed some concern at the extension of the open method of coordination (OMC) beyond the general orientations for employment, as this may replace legislation thus weakening the interests of workers.
Meeting with members of Parliament At the meeting with members of the Committee on Enterprise and Small Business and of the Committee on Social and Family Affairs, the issues of adequate social welfare and social protection were discussed. The work of the Convention and the position of the EP with regard to the need to guarantee the social rights in the Treaty were stressed by EMPL members.
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EN DELEGATION TO DUBLIN 24 - 25 November 2003
LIST OF PARTICIPANTS
Members:
Mr. Theo BOUWMAN, Chairman Verts/ALE
Mr. Bartho PRONK PPE-DE
Mr. Carlo FATUZZO PPE-DE
Mr. Proinsias DE ROSSA PSE
Ms. Jillian EVANS Verts/ALE
Mr. Brian CROWLEY UEN
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EN DELEGATION TO DUBLIN 24 - 25 November 2003
DRAFT PROGRAMME
MONDAY 24 NOVEMBER 2003
Morning Flight to Dublin 14.00 Meeting with the EP Information Office Dublin, Mr. James O'Brien 15.00 - 16.00 Meeting with Minister for EU Affairs, Government Buildings Merrion St, Dublin Dick Roche 2 16.30 - 17.30 FIT (Fastrack into Information AIB Bank Centre, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4, Technology) IT training project visit Contact:Peter Davitt 00353-1-868234006 19.00 Dinner hosted by Irish Business and Confederation House Employers Confederation (IBEC) 84-6 Lr Baggot St, Dublin 2 Contacts: Ray Farrelly, Maria Cronin, 00353-1-86 3812881, -87 2236816
TUESDAY 25 NOVEMBER 2003
09.30 - 10.30 Meeting with David Begg, General 31/32 Parnell Square, Dublin 2, Contact: Secretary of the Irish Congress of Eileen Sweeney, 00353-1-8897725 Trade Unions 12.00 Meeting with Minister for Labour Parliament offices Affairs, Frank Fahey and Minister for Leinster House, Dublin 2 Social and Family Affairs, Mary Coughlan 13.15 Lunch hosted Oireachtas Committee on Members Restaurant, Leinster House Enterprise and Small Business and Social and Family Affairs 15.00 - 16.00 Meeting with Oireachtas Committee on Parliament offices, Leinster House, Dublin Enterprise and Small Business 2, Contact: Rita Sexton 6183744 16.00 - 17.00 Meeting with Oireachtas Committee on Parliament offices Social and Family Affairs Leinster House
WEDNESDAY 26 NOVEMBER 2003
Morning Departure for the airport
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EN Irish Presidency of the EU
(1 January – 30 June 2004)
DRAFT Programme in the areas of Employment, Social Policy and Equality
KEY PRIORITIES
Ireland’s Presidency comes at a time of great change for the European Union. Making a success of enlargement will be a key priority for the Irish Presidency. This will involve the successful integration of the new Member States into the workings of the Union and the extension of the Union’s policies to them.
In pursuing sustainable social and economic growth, as set out in the Lisbon agenda, the central issues for the Irish Presidency will be to make employment a priority and to maintain a high level of social cohesion and social protection. The Presidency will advance the EU legislative programme in the areas of anti-discrimination and equal treatment.
The draft programme set out below outlines the key priorities of the Irish Presidency in the areas of Employment, Social Policy and Equality. Although the detailed programme has not yet been finalised, the important issues to be dealt with during the Irish semester are as follows:
1. Taking Stock of Achievements under the Lisbon Objectives: The Irish Presidency, in co- operation with the Commission and the relevant committees, aims to present, for the first time, an integrated key messages paper to the Spring European Council in 2004. The key messages will reflect the Council’s work on Social Inclusion, Pensions, Demographic Developments, Making Work Pay, Gender Equality and the employment-related policy challenges addressed in the report of the Employment Task Force “Jobs, Jobs, Jobs; Creating More Employment in Europe”
2. European Employment Strategy. The Employment Guidelines and Broad Economic Policy Guidelines are now prepared as a co-ordinated and synchronised package, and the 2004 Spring European Council will provide the first opportunity to assess this new streamlined approach. The Employment Taskforce has undertaken an in-depth examination of key employment related policy challenges, and its recommendations will be addressed by the 2004 Spring European Council on the basis of the Joint Commission/Council Employment Report.
3. Co-ordination of Social Security for Migrant Workers. The Irish Presidency will actively continue the process of reform of Regulation 1408/71 with the aim of reaching agreement with the European Parliament before the end of its term in May. In co-operation with the Hungarian Government, a conference will be held in Budapest in May 2004, involving all 25 Member States, on the implications of the reform of the Regulation, and on the practical aspects of its implementation in the new Member States.
4. Social Dialogue makes a vital contribution to promoting a more job-intensive pattern of economic growth. The Tripartite Social Summit, to be convened in advance of the 2004 Spring European Council, will assist in promoting closer co-operation with the social partners
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EN in facilitating change and helping in the effective transformation of the European economy.
5. Equality Legislation. The Irish Presidency will seek to secure adoption of the Proposal for a Council Regulation on the European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia at the March Council. Negotiations will be progressed on the Proposal for a Council Directive implementing the principle of equal treatment between women and men in access to and supply of goods and services with a view to achieving the maximum progress practicable.
6. Gender Mainstreaming Report. A Report by the Commission on Equality between Women and Men and gender mainstreaming will be presented to the Spring European Council. This is an important new initiative and will take place for the first time during the Irish Presidency.
LEGISLATIVE PROGRAMME
1. Social Protection for workers moving within the Union G Adoption of a Regulation simplifying and reforming Regulation 1408/71 on social security. G Adoption of a Commission Proposal COM (2003) 468 (final) for miscellaneous amendments to Regulations 1408/71 and 574/72.
2. Improvement in Working Conditions G Seeking to frame an initial political response to the forthcoming Commission Communication on the Organisation of Working Time which will review the implementation of Council Directive 93/104/EC on Working Time and take into account the recent judgements by the European Court of Justice. G Progressing legislation on the protection of workers from risks of exposure to electro- magnetic fields and optical radiation.
3. Equality G Adoption of proposal to recast Council Regulation 1035/97 – proposal for a Council Regulation on the European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia (recast version) G Progression of Commission Proposal COM (2003) 657 (final) for a Council Directive implementing the principle of equal treatment between women and men in access to and supply of goods and services under Article 13 of the Treaty. G Advancement of proposed Directive consolidating and revising existing Directives in the area of equal treatment between men and women, under Article 141. G Reaching agreement with the European Parliament for the adoption of co-decision proposals in the area of violence against women (the DAPHNE II programme) (amended Commission Proposal COM (2003) 616 (final)) and on the Community action programme to promote organisations active at European level in the field of equality between men and women (Commission Proposal COM (2003) 279 (final)).
MINISTERIAL MEETINGS
G Informal Council of Ministers of Employment and Social Policy, Galway, 16 January 2004. The theme of the meeting will be “Making Work Pay – Exploring the Interaction between Social Protection and Work”. The meeting will explore the actions needed to ensure that benefit and employment policies are mutually supportive.
G Meeting of Ministers with responsibility for Equality, Limerick, 7 May 2004. The theme of the meeting will be ”New Horizons for Gender Equality”.
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EN CONFERENCES
G Conference on Adaptability and adjustment to change in the workplace. The aim of the conference is to debate and reach understandings about the dynamics of competitiveness, innovation, and high skills that drive positive workplace change. It will address the following question: “What are the characteristics of a workplace that can support, nurture, and develop innovative practice and high performance?” (Dublin, 26 & 27 February 2004)
G Conference entitled “Reconciling mobility and social inclusion – the role of social and economic policy”. The main focus of the conference will be on the role of social and economic policies in achieving social inclusion for people moving within the EU. The issues to be explored include, the reality of mobility in today’s enlarged EU, the type of risks to social exclusion that immigrants who move to work in other countries encounter and the need for integrated approaches to the issues involved. (Bundoran, 1 & 2 April 2004)
G Conference entitled “New Horizons for Gender Equality”. This is the flagship gender equality conference of the Irish Presidency. The aim of the conference is to bring together leading practitioners at EU and Member State level in the area of gender equality to discuss a number of issues around the theme of gender equality in practice. (Limerick, 6 May 2004)
G Conference on the reform of Regulation 1408/71 and on the practical aspects of its implementation for the new Member States. Hosted in co-operation with the Hungarian Government and involving all 25 Member States, this will be among the first EU Social Policy Conferences to take place after the formal accession of the new Member States. (Budapest, 7 & 8 May 2004)
G Conference entitled “Families, Change and Social Policy in Europe”. Themes to be addressed will include “Modernising social protection in light of family change”, “Families as a focus of social inclusion and social cohesion”, “reconciling the demands of work and family life”, and “The caring functions of families”. (Dublin, 13 & 14 May 2004)
G Conference entitled “Implementing Equality – Planned and Systematic Approaches to Policy Development”. The aim of the conference is to bring together leading national and international equality practitioners to discuss the role of bodies in the promotion of equal opportunities in the workplace and in the provision of public services. The conference is intended to raise awareness and support efforts to combat discrimination. (Limerick, 27 & 28 May 2004).
G Meeting of people experiencing poverty from EU countries. The aim will be to develop further ways of promoting the participation at all levels of people experiencing poverty and the structural networks to facilitate this. A particular objective will be to promote their involvement in the development of the National Action Plans for social inclusion. (Brussels, 28 & 29 May 2004)
G Conference on Investment in Human Resources. This conference will focus on the important contribution investment in human resources makes to economic development and competitiveness and therefore to the attainment of the goals set out in the Lisbon agenda. (Dublin, 21 June 2004)
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EN INSTITUTIONAL AND TECHNICAL MEETINGS
G Meeting of High Level Group on Gender Mainstreaming (Dublin, 9 January 2004)
G Meeting of EMCO (Naas, 12 & 13 February 2004)
G Conference on Optical Radiation (Luxembourg, late February 2004)
G UN Commission on the Status of Women (New York, 1 to 13 March 2004)
G Meeting of Directors General of Health and Safety Authorities (Dublin, April 2004)
G Meeting of MISSEP (Mutual Information Systems on Employment Policy) (Dublin, 22 & 23 April 2004)
G Meeting of the Social Protection Committee (Dublin, 12 May 2004)
G Meeting of Competent Authorities (Seveso) (Dublin, 12 & 13 May 2004)
G International Association of Labour Inspectors Conference (Dublin, 17 & 18 May 2004)
G Senior Labour Inspectors Conference (Dublin, 19 to 21 May 2004)
G Meeting of MISSOC (Mutual Information System on Social Protection) (Dublin, 20 & 21 May 2004)
G Meeting of Competent Authorities (Chemicals) (Dublin, 27 & 28 May 2004)
1 December 2003
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