Euro brief
1-15 February 2005. No: 3/2005
- McCreevy distances himself from controversial services directive - go to section
- Germany and France orders re-think on services directive ahead of EU summit - go to section
- MEP calls for EU action to reduce five million workplace accidents - go to section
- Five year EU employment plan launched - go to section
- Three million europasses by 2010 - go to section
The controversial Services Directive - dubbed Bolkestein's Monster, after the Commissioner who drew up the legislation, has been dealt a possible death blow by Bolkestein's successor, Charlie McCreevy, who has admitted he has not ruled out a re-write or even the withdrawal of the entire proposal.
Mr McCreevy, Commissioner for the Internal Market, has told the European Voice that the horizontal approach which applied internal market principles equally across a whole range of services - including health services might have to be reconsidered.
He is quoted as saying, "The previous Commission came up with this idea of overarching services directive but it is obvious to me that there are an awful lot of difficulties about some of the approaches or what it could mean in certain areas".
Some observers believe this is a significant development as it shows Mr McCreevy distancing himself from the approach taken by his predecessor and wants to soften up opinion ahead of a tactical retreat.
He was at pains to point out that a liberalisation of services is still necessary to boost the economy but conceded that this was the wrong way to do it. The BMA and others in the health sector has repeatedly objected to internal market rules being applied to health services in the same way they would be to commercial services.
National Governments feared they would effectively lose control of healthcare
spending - which the EU treaties say should be the exclusive competence of member states because of liberal provisions for cross-border healthcare and reimbursement. The Commission argues that rewarding efficient healthcare providers with more "customers" would improve the standard of treatment.
McCreevy, who joined the Commission last November, said he will consider all options.
DG Internal Market launched a last minute attempt to rescue the beleaguered directive in the New Year and has had to issue a total of 40 clarifications.
However, there was growing support for the BMA position in the European Parliament - as well as the Council of Ministers on the exclusion for the health services. In response to a DTI consultation in June last year the BMA suggested that the directive wasn't ready for consideration and should be withdrawn and re-drafted.
Germany and France orders re-think on services directive ahead of EU summit
Germany has joined France in requesting a re-think of the controversial Services Directive. The Financial Times has reported that German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder has performed a U-turn following pressure from powerful trade unions. Policy advisors to Schroeder met advisors to French President Jacques Chirac in Vienna to discuss a joint position.
The FT says a joint Franco-German rejection could scupper hopes of an agreement this year.
Meanwhile, the French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin expressed his concerns at a recent cabinet meeting. He said the directive was "unacceptable, we will take every measure to oppose this directive", according to Le Monde.
The head official at DG Internal Market in the Commission, which drew up the legislation, Alexander Schaub has admitted that there was not enough consultation prior to tabling the draft directive - something the BMA complained about back in June last year. Speaking to the European Parliament's Internal Market Committee on 2nd February, Mr Schaub said " we are paying for this mistake now".
The EP Internal Market Committee has decided to hold a series of working groups in public. The Committee will continue to look at the most controversial aspects such as the Country of Origin Principle and Services of General Interest. The working groups will meet four or five times before the committee votes in April. The EP Plenary is scheduled to hold its first reading vote in June.
MEP calls for EU action to reduce five million workplace accidents
The number of workplace accidents and illnesses is still too high despite a recent steady decline, says a report by Czech MEP, Jiri Mastalka.
Nearly 300,000 workers suffer permanent disability each year and half of workers in the EU do not have access to prevention services. There is an increasing trend of temporary workers suffering accidents and illnesses. MEPs have therefore called for swift agreement on the directive on working conditions of temporary workers.
The European Parliament’s Employment and Social Affairs Committee is asking the Commission to consider using the “open method of co-ordination” in the area of health and safety. This method requires Member States to swap experience and good practice – without introducing binding European legislation. This is designed to ensure Member States - especially new Member State- implement their own health and safety laws, which will comply with European legislation. MEPs will vote on the Mastalka Report in full plenary later in February.
Five year EU employment plan launched
The European Commission has launched an ambitious five-year employment plan in an attempt to breathe life into the Lisbon Agenda.
The new Social Agenda will prioritise full employment, combating poverty and extending equal opportunities. It will focus on health care, pensions, home-work balance, gender equality and health and safety at work.
The Commission will publish a Green Paper in 2006 analysing new work patterns and consider modernising some labour laws. Health care and long term care will come under the open method of co-ordination. There will also be a White Paper on equality and non-discrimination and a Commission Communication on gender equality tackling issues such as balancing work and family life and participating in decision-making.
Three million europasses by 2010
The European Commissioner for Education, Training and Culture, Jan Figel has declared that he hopes that by 2010, three million citizens will have Euro-Passes.
The Euro-Pass was introduced in January and is one of three complementary tools supporting mobility of professionals within the “Education and Training Strategy 2010”. The other instruments are the Ploteus Portal launched in 2002 and the European Qualifications Framework.
Europass is a direct service to citizens that will help them make their qualifications and competencies clearly understood throughout Europe.
The Europass has its own logo and incorporates five transparency documents that cover qualifications and competencies in a lifelong learning perspective. Besides the, the Europass CV, there is also a EuroPass Portfolio of Languages, the EuroPass Mobility (covering cross-border experiences), the EuroPass Diploma Supplements and the EuroPass Certificate Supplement (covering vocational training).