Social developments in the European Union 2004 edited by Christophe Degryse and Philippe Pochet Sixth annual report Social developments in the European Union 2004 Sixth annual report edited by Christophe Degryse and Philippe Pochet European Trade Union Institute for Research, Education and Health and Safety (ETUI-REHS) Observatoire social européen (OSE) The National Institute for Working Life and The Swedish Trade Unions in Co-operation (SALTSA) 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 Maria Helena André, Stefan Clauwaert, Caroline de la Porte, Maria Jepsen, Isabelle Schoemann and Amparo Serrano for their careful scrutiny of the text and/or 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), Henning Jørgensen of the European Trade Union Institute for Research, Education and Health and Safety (ETUI-REHS), and Lars Magnusson and Torbjörn Strandberg of the National Institute for Working Life and The Swedish Trade Unions in Co-operation (SALTSA) for their constructive co-operation. 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. The English translation was carried out by Janet Altman and her team. Brussels, 2005 © Publisher: ETUI-REHS, Brussels All rights reserved Print: ETUI-REHS Printshop, Brussels D-2005-10.574-02 ISBN: 2-87452-001-2 Price: 20 € Report commissioned from the Observatoire social européen by the European Trade Union Institute for Research, Education and Health and Safety and the European Trade Union Confederation and with the support of SALTSA. The ETUI-REHS is financially supported by the European Commission. Table of contents Preface ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 9 Christophe Degryse and Philippe Pochet Foreword ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 11 Christophe Degryse European social dialogue: modest achievements in a climate of conflict ............................................................................................................................................................ 19 1. Autonomous agreement on work-related stress ......................................................... 20 2. Following up earlier agreements ......................................................................................................... 24 3. Consultations in 2004 .......................................................................................................................................... 28 4. Sectoral social dialogue: main developments ................................................................... 39 5. Future of the social dialogue: communication from the European Commission .......................................................................................................................... 44 Conclusions .................................................................................................................................................................................... 48 Philippe Pochet The European Employment Strategy and the Broad Economic Policy Guidelines ....................................................................................................................... 55 Introduction .................................................................................................................................................................................. 55 1. The EES: first lessons learnt ..................................................................................................................... 57 2. The 2004 recommendations ...................................................................................................................... 66 3. Review of the Lisbon strategy ................................................................................................................ 70 Conclusions .................................................................................................................................................................................... 73 Social developments in the European Union 2004 5 Rita Baeten Health care: after the Court, the policy-makers get down to work .............................................................................................................................................................. 79 Introduction .................................................................................................................................................................................. 79 1. Economic players raise the temperature in early spring ................................. 80 2. Social and health players aim for closer cooperation in the field of health care ................................................................................................................................ 91 Conclusions ................................................................................................................................................................................ 103 Éric Van den Abeele The draft Services Directive: a visionary instrument enhancing competitiveness or a Trojan horse threatening the European social model? ..................................................................................................................... 109 Introduction .............................................................................................................................................................................. 109 1. A visionary proposal? ....................................................................................................................................... 110 2. A controversial draft Directive .......................................................................................................... 119 Conclusions ................................................................................................................................................................................ 144 Cécile Barbier European Constitution: a ratification process with an uncertain outcome ......................................................................................................................... 149 1. Major steps forward in the draft text ....................................................................................... 150 2. Values and objectives of the Union ........................................................................................... 153 3. Economic governance .................................................................................................................................... 161 4. Enhanced cooperation ................................................................................................................................... 162 5. Revision procedures ........................................................................................................................................... 164 6. The ratification process ................................................................................................................................. 165 Conclusions ................................................................................................................................................................................ 173 6 Social developments in the European Union 2004 Cécile Barbier Asylum and immigration: difficulties of a common approach ............................................................................................................................................... 177 1. Europe, a reluctant land of immigration ............................................................................ 178 2. Free movement for persons and enlargement ........................................................... 179 3. The external dimension ................................................................................................................................ 181 4. From the Amsterdam Treaty to the draft Constitution: a Europe of variable geometry ........................................................................................................... 183 5. The draft European Constitution .................................................................................................. 185 6. From Tampere to the Hague ............................................................................................................... 187 7. The Hague Programme ................................................................................................................................. 189 8. Implementation of the Hague Programme: a slight relaxation of decision-making procedures ......................................................................................................... 194 Conclusions ...............................................................................................................................................................................