ETUC’s Executive Committee rejects Mr. Barroso’s declaration on the Services Directive
The ETUC Executive Committee rejects the remarks of Commission President Barroso about a fight between "modernisers and reactionaries" in a speech to the Lisbon Council, a Brussels-based think tank and lobbying group. There is indeed a battle ongoing on the Services Directive as it was proposed by Commissioner Bolkestein in early 2004, but to treat trade unions as “reactionaries” when voicing concerns about the directive, is an insult.
The European trade unions are raising wholly legitimate concerns about social dumping, about jeopardising health and safety regulations, about the transformation of European minimum standards into maximum standards. The ETUC supports a single market in services but not at the expense of European and national social standards, labour law, services of general interest, health and safety and collective agreements.
The ETUC will continue its efforts to arrive at an acceptable Services Directive which protects workers’ rights and industrial relations, and urges the European Parliament and the Member States to defend the social dimension of the EU. The ETUC calls for a largest possible participation at its Euro-demonstration, assembling this Saturday, which will highlight our opposition to the Services Directive.
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