Brussels, 27/03/2006
“We call on the European Commission to take good note of the Council's support for the outcome of the Parliament's first reading, and to reflect this in its forthcoming amending proposal,” declared ETUC General Secretary John Monks. “Any move to reverse the hard-won consensus at this stage will only bring further damaging delays in achieving an acceptable opening of the EU market for services.”
The ETUC also notes the Summit's recognition of the key role of the social partners in implementing the Lisbon Strategy for jobs and growth, and reiterates its demand for a stronger trade union input in the monitoring and implementation of National Reform Programmes (NRPs).
On the Energy Policy for Europe (EPE) initiative, the ETUC reaffirms the need for a coherent energy policy, and finds the Council's conclusions inadequate in this sense. This policy must explicitly include a social dimension that takes account of social impacts in terms of price, access to energy supply, jobs, and health and safety at work.
Finally, the ETUC welcomes the Council's approval of the European Pact for Gender Equality, which is essential to enabling women to fulfil their role in the labour market and promoting a better work-life balance for men as well as women.