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THE UNITED KINGDOM Prime Minister lauded the achievements of the recent meeting of the European Council (Council of Ministers) in Lisbon. Upset by British press coverage which concentrated on more trivial matters, Tony Blair urged that the focus of attention be on the 'turning point in Europe's approach to economic and social policy' which he said had occurred at Lisbon. The Prime Minister argued that structural reform and liberalisation of markets in Europe - key objectives of the Lisbon summit, allied to a rapid embrace of the Internet and new technology could create up to 20 million jobs in the European Union. In her report from the summit the European Parliament President, Nicole Fontaine set out the three strategies agreed to enable the EU to become the 'most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world'. They are: 'preparing the transition to a knowledge-based economy and society by better policies for the information society and R&D, as well as by stepping up the process of structural reform for competitiveness and innovation and by completing the internal market'; 'modernising the European social model, investing in people and combating social exclusion'; and 'sustaining the healthy economic outlook and favourable growth prospects by applying an appropriate macro-economic policy mix'.
Ms. Fontaine goes on to say that the goal of the strategies is to include regaining 'the conditions for full employment'. Mr. Blair also noted this point: 'that post-war goal, achieved 30 or 40 years ago, but then abandoned, is back on the agenda and quite right too' he said. The ETUC was also not slow to pick up the change of mood: 'The European Trade Union Confederation can only praise the fact that full employment is becoming the target of a more efficient economy based on innovation and knowledge'. However it was not totally happy, 'The ETUC ...deplores that the trade union proposal to establish an explicit timetable for the reduction of unemployment was turned down'. Whilst such a timetable was not established the summit did inaugurate a target of raising 'the employment rate [the percentage of people of working age in jobs] from an average of 61% today to as close as possible to 70% by 2010 and to increase the number of women in employment from an average of 51% today to more than 60% by 2010'. In developing an active employment policy, based on Member States' National Action Plans (see page 3) the Council and the Commission will address four main areas: improving employability and reducing skills gaps, giving higher priority to lifelong learning, increasing employment in services and furthering all aspects of equal opportunities.
Social protection (the welfare state) and social exclusion were also topics on the minds of the leaders at Lisbon. Ms. Fontaine praises the 'European social model' with its high levels of welfare provision but warns that this will come under attack as the population ages. To sustain it, she says, work must be made to pay for individuals and the welfare system must promote gender equality and social inclusion. On the latter subject she states 'The number of people living below the poverty line and in social exclusion in the Union is unacceptable. Steps must be taken to make a decisive impact on the eradication of poverty by setting adequate targets to be agreed by the Council by the end of the year'. Whilst the new knowledge-based society can provide higher levels of growth and employment thus reducing exclusion, it can also widen the gap between the haves and the have-nots as information technology skills become one more thing that they do not possess. The report concludes, 'the best safeguard against social exclusion is a job'.
In the second half of this year France takes the Presidency of the Council from Portugal and a summit is to be held at Nice. Here a social agenda is to be agreed. As the ETUC put it, we will 'judge the credibility of the Lisbon commitments on the basis of actions' but it seems the Council marked a change of spirit and priority in favour of employment and growth.
Concrete proposals from the Lisbon European Summit
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'PRESIDENCY CONCLUSIONS LISBON EUROPEAN COUNCIL |
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is available on the Internet at |
http://www.consilium.europa.eu/ueDocs/cms_Data/docs/pressData/en/ec/00100-r1.en0.htm |
IN DENMARK there seems to be an east-west divide rather than the U.K.'s north-south one. Information Technology workers' union PROSA surveyed its members' earnings and found that earnings in the west were about 14% less than in the east of the country. They also found that some members' pay had increased by 8% while others had seen theirs decrease by 1%.
TRADE UNIONS in the Netherlands are fed up with the wage moderation which they have endured in recent years. The FNV Bondgenoten declared the policy dead at its recent congress. The union wants the Dutch economy to be 'knowledge-intensive' rather than depending on low wages.
BOTH FIXED-TERM and part time contracts are very popular in Spain. Part time contracts add up to 10.5% of all employment contracts. Both employers and employees seem to be happy with this as well as the trade union CC.OO which is going to campaign for more part timers during this year.
TEMPORARY WORKERS are also in the news in Sweden where the CF and HTF unions have renewed their agreement with the employers' organisation on the subject of temporary work agencies. It guarantees their employees minimum wages and holiday pay.
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