Bernadette Ségol, General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), in a solidarity declaration addressed to its two Serbian confederations CATUS and NEZAVISNOST, underlined the need for a proper social dialogue in Serbia.

The cancellation of the youth employment Summit scheduled for this week sends out a very bad signal to Europe’s younger generations, showing that the Member States have failed to take the youth guarantee seriously. Young people are bearing the full brunt of austerity policies, unemployment and labour market insecurity. They do not want this guarantee to be yet another missed opportunity. It has the potential to enable better integration into employment, but it has to be used. Where are the funds intended for this guarantee?

Commenting on the European Commission’s Green Growth Package, Bernadette Ségol, General Secretary of the  European Trade Union Confederation said “The European Commission’s Green Growth Package is forward-thinking and progressive. It rightly puts together the need to create jobs with the need for a more environmentally sustainable economy.”   

Dave Feickert, former Head of TUC Office in Brussels, has died. In memory, Bernadette Ségol, writes: “Dave was head of TUC office when Emilio Gabaglio was general Secretary of the ETUC. He was part of the team which negotiated the three European agreements - I was there as well. Dave strongly supported the move towards a European Union as a place of peace, democracy, social protection and workers' right.

Is the European Commission willing to back down on awarding benefits to US companies which are not given to EU companies? That’s the question put by the European Trade Union Confederation as the European Commission closes its consultation on the controversial investor-to-state dispute settlement (ISDS), one of the most contested aspects of the EU-US trade negotiations.    

  Commenting on today’s EU Summit, Bernadette Ségol, General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation, said “The EU should be focused on policies not personalities. They have agreed today that unemployment is at unacceptable levels and that poverty is a major concern. I am looking forward to finding out what they will do about it. If the emphasis remains, as it has up to now, on cutting Government spending and deregulation, then Europe’s 26 million unemployed will remain jobless, and nothing will change.”    

The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) today calls on EU leaders meeting in Brussels on Friday to back proposals by French President François Hollande for an investment plan equal to 2% of EU GDP, and by Italian Premier Matteo Renzi to lift austerity measures and invest in growth and jobs.  “EU leaders say they want to tackle unemployment” said Bernadette Ségol, General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation “but the policies they have implemented so far will not create jobs.”

Bernadette Ségol, ETUC General Secretary, said “I was sad to hear of the death of Norman Willis, who was ETUC President from 1991-1993.  He was a committed European and worked with Jacques Delors, then President of the Commission, to build the foundations of a social Europe. On behalf of the ETUC and personally I am sending our condolences to his family and to the TUC ”    TUC press release: http://www.tuc.org.uk/about-tuc/norman-willis-1933-%E2%80%93-2014      

A giant, too-big-to-miss message for EU leaders has been erected in Rond Point Schuman for the EU Summit on June 27, which is due to decide who to nominate as new President of the European Commission.   Asking ‘Who will lead Europe?’ the message reminds leaders that there are 26 million unemployed in Europe and urges EU leaders to invest in growth and jobs.   Bernadette Ségol, General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation, speaking at the unveiling of the message opposite the Summit venue said    

Commenting on the European Commission’s proposals for its deregulatory programme (REFIT), Veronica Nilsson of the European Trade Union Confederation, said “The Commission is boasting that they are making EU law lighter, simpler and less costly, but for whom? Pregnant workers that will see the proposal for a  maternity protection directive withdrawn? Or hairdressers that are denied occupational safety and health protection? Why does not the Commission look at the cost to society of not having adequate health and safety legislation in place?

Reacting to the news that the European Commission is to investigate tax deals made by Apple, Starbucks and Fiat with national tax authorities, Bernadette Ségol, General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation said: “A clamp down on tax avoidance by multinational companies is long overdue. It is immoral of multinationals to avoid tax at a time when citizens are paying the price for the crisis.  As Commissioner Almunia rightly said, multinationals must pay their fair share.”

Commenting on the European Commission’s ‘Framework on Health and Safety at Work’ which was issued today, Józef Niemiec, Deputy General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), said “The ETUC has been waiting for years for this Health and Safety Strategy, and we are disappointed it is weak and insubstantial. It contains no concrete proposal for action, and no specific improvements to health and safety.”

Joint video interview on TTIP by Bernadette Ségol, ETUC General Secretary & Richard Trumka, AFL-CIO President