“I am astonished that President Barroso, with this statement, should put at risk the important debate which has been started by the UK Presidency on the future of social Europe. The ETUC will not take this debate seriously if pre-emptive strikes are made against key European regulations.

I am writing to the President today asking him to provide a list of the measures he is looking to scrap, to emphasise the importance of proceeding with a draft proposal on protection for workers against exposure to sun rays and to insist that the normal processes of consultation with the Social Partners and European Parliament are not pre-empted.”