2005

Brussels, 20/06/2005

Brussels, 08/07/2004 What direction should Social Europe take? Such will be the main debate discussed at the Informal Employment and Social Policy Council Meeting which the social partners took part in (Maastricht on July the 8th)." Strong social partnerships, welfare states and public services are the key elements of the European social model”, declared John Monks, General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) at the Employment and Social Policy Informal Council meeting, held in Maastricht on July the 8th.

Brussels, 06/07/2004

Brussels, 21/06/04 On 18th June 2004, the Heads of Government and State came finally to a difficult agreement on the European Constitution. This agreement is important given the new situation after the unification of Europe which has created more blocking capacities. This historical event should have been a prolonged moment of celebration for the ETUC but we regret that the agreement has reduced ambitions, compared to the draft of the European Convention.

Brussels, 10/06/2004 The European Council meeting on 17-18 June is set as the deadline for agreement on the Constitutional Treaty. The ETUC has grave concerns about some of the latest amendments proposed at the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC). “ Europeans will become increasingly cynical about the European Union's ability to work in their interests if the social aspects of the new Constitution are further diluted”, says John Monks, the General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC).

Brussels, 13/01/2004 An ETUC delegation comprised of the President, Candido Mendez, General Secretary, John Monks, and the General Secretary of the ICTU, David Begg, will today meet the Taoiseach and put to him the ETUC's positions on key European questions.