EU Level developments
- 20 Dec 2002
EU Level: Unions seek more influence for EWCs<#PDF_LINK>In November 2002, a major conference on European Works Councils (EWCs) took place in Aarhus, Denmark, organised by the European Trade Union Confederation and the main Danish national trade union organisations. The conference focused on making EWCs more effective and securing amendments to the EWCs Directive.
- 17 Dec 2002
EU Level: Commission issues annual joint employment report<#PDF_LINK>In mid-November 2002, the European Commission issued the draft of the year's joint Commission/Council employment report. The report looks at the labour market progress made by Member States over the past year, praising a number of achievements but also stating that structural weaknesses remain.
- 17 Dec 2002
EU Level: Wide-ranging employment Council<#PDF_LINK>Ministers met in Brussels on 2-3 December 2002 for an EU employment, social policy, health and consumer affairs Council. In the area of employment and social policy, a range of issues were discussed, including working conditions for temporary agency workers, health and safety for self-employed workers and protection from electromagnetic fields and waves.
- 17 Dec 2002
EU Level: EU-level social partners issue work programme for 2003-5<#PDF_LINK>At a social dialogue summit held on 28 November 2002, the central European-level social partners - UNICE/UEAPME, CEEP and ETUC - presented a joint work programme for the coming three years. The programme focuses on employment, enlargement and mobility, setting out a range of autonomous actions which the social partners intend to take by the end of 2005.
- 17 Dec 2002
EU Level: Banking social partners conclude joint declaration on lifelong learning<#PDF_LINK>A joint declaration on lifelong learning was concluded by the EU-level social partners in the banking sector in December 2002. The document focuses on four key issues: defining skills; recognising and validating skills; principles, rights and responsibilities; and the need to ensure equal opportunities when formulating training policies.
- 03 Dec 2002
EU Level: Parliament proposes amendments to draft temporary agency work Directive<#PDF_LINK>At its plenary session on 20-21 November 2002, the European Parliament gave a first reading to the European Commission's proposal for a Directive on working conditions for temporary agency workers. It proposed a range of amendments to the proposal, in areas including the principle of non-discrimination against agency workers.
- 03 Dec 2002
EU Level: Agreement reached on noise Directive<#PDF_LINK>In November 2002, a European Parliament/Council of Ministers conciliation committee reached political agreement on the text of a new Directive limiting noise at the workplace. The text should be formally adopted during December 2002.
- 03 Dec 2002
EU Level: Sectoral social dialogue developments round-up<#PDF_LINK>A range of developments took place during November 2002 within the context of the European-level sectoral social dialogue, including a review of progress in the telecommunications sector, a joint statement on lifelong learning in the banking sector and preparatory work on establishing dialogue in the sport sector.
- 20 Nov 2002
EU Level: Commission issues second stage consultation on data protection<#PDF_LINK>In late October 2002, the European Commission launched the second stage of consultations of the social partners on the topic of data protection at the workplace. The European-level social partners have until mid-December 2002 to submit their comments or decide to take their own EU-wide initiative on the issue.
- 20 Nov 2002
EU Level: Commission issues 2002 industrial relations in Europe report<#PDF_LINK>In late October 2002, the European Commission issued its Industrial Relations in Europe 2002 report. The report details major developments in European labour relations during 2000 and 2001 and, for the first time, includes a section on the countries applying to join the EU.
- 19 Nov 2002
EU Level: EESC gives Opinion on draft temporary agency work Directive<#PDF_LINK>At its plenary session in September 2002, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) issued its Opinion on the European Commission's proposal for a Directive regulating working conditions for temporary agency workers.
- 19 Nov 2002
EU Level: Commission launches new CSR forum<#PDF_LINK>In October 2002, the European Commission launched a new Europeanmulti-stakeholder forumon corporate social responsibility (CSR). Made up of 20 representatives from the social partners and interested parties, the forum will examine a range of issues and report to the Commission in 2004.
- 19 Nov 2002
EU Level: Commission makes new proposal for takeovers Directive<#PDF_LINK>In October 2002, the European Commission issued a new draft Directive on takeover bids, which would give information and consultation rights to employees and their representatives in the companies involved. These rights are somewhat stronger in the new proposal than in a previous version of the draft Directive, which was rejected by the European Parliament.
- 08 Nov 2002
EU Level: European health and safety week focuses on stress<#PDF_LINK>The 2002 European week for safety and health and work, held in October, centred on the increasingly visible problem of work-related stress. Events were held in the EU Member States, the candidate countries and EFTA countries.
- 08 Nov 2002
EU Level: EU unemployment on the increase<#PDF_LINK>Over the year to August 2002, the unemployment rate rose from 7.3% to 7.7% across the EU, and from 8.0% to 8.3% in the euro-zone. Member States have widely differing unemployment rates, but levels are increasing in most countries.
- 08 Nov 2002
EU Level: Social dialogue conference held in electricity sector<#PDF_LINK>A two-day European-level electricity sector social dialogue conference was held in September 2002. Participants discussed a range of issues relating to social dialogue and liberalisation in the industry, in both the EU and the candidate countries.
- 24 Oct 2002
EU Level: New report examines situation of women and men in the EU<#PDF_LINK>A new report, issued jointly by Eurostat and the European Commission in October 2002, provides a number of statistics relating to the employment of men and women in the EU. One of the most notable is the fact that the gender pay gap remains significant – on average, women earn 87% of male hourly earnings in the public sector, a figure which falls to 82% in the private sector.
- 23 Oct 2002
EU Level: Commission issues 2002 Employment in Europe report<#PDF_LINK>The 2002 Employment in Europe report was issued by the European Commission in September 2002. The report examines the progress of European labour markets over the past decade. It assesses the chances of meeting the employment rate targets set at the Lisbon and Stockholm European Councils in 2000 and 2001 and looks at the areas where improvements are needed in terms of labour market performance. The report also analyses at the challenges which EU enlargement will bring.
- 23 Oct 2002
EU Level: UNI highlights on-line rights at work<#PDF_LINK>Union Network International (UNI) has in recent years been campaigning on the issue of the protection of workers'on-line rightsat work, relating to the use of e-mail and the internet. Notably, it has recently issued a code of practice dealing with employees’ and employers’ rights and duties in this area. The code covers trade union communications, non-business communications, monitoring and surveillance, and the conditions for use of electronic facilities at work.
- 22 Oct 2002
EU Level: October Council discusses employment and social policy issues<#PDF_LINK>EU employment, social policy, health and consumer affairs ministers met in Luxembourg on 8 October 2002 to discuss a range of issues, including the proposed Directive on working conditions for temporary agency workers and the possibility of a Directive on protection against electromagnetic fields and waves.
- 22 Oct 2002
EU Level: Commission seeks to streamline employment and economic strategies<#PDF_LINK>In September 2002, the European Commission issued proposals to streamline EU employment and economic policy coordination. This would entail changes to the timing of the annual European employment strategy cycle.
- 08 Oct 2002
EU Level: Commission publishes study on equality bodies<#PDF_LINK>In September 2002, the European Commission issued a report looking at specialised bodies in EU Member States which have been set up to promote equality and/or to combat discrimination.
- 08 Oct 2002
EU Level: European Parliament adopts resolution on women in social partner bodies<#PDF_LINK>The European Parliament adopted in September 2002 a resolution urging the social partners, the European Commission and the EU Member States to take a variety of actions in order to improve the representation of women among the EU social partners.
- 25 Sep 2002
EU Level: Commission initiates five-year review of European employment strategy<#PDF_LINK>In July 2002, the European Commission issued an assessment of the European employment strategy, five years after the strategy was launched. The assessment is generally a positive one, although the Commission maintains that a range of weak areas still need to be addressed.
- 11 Sep 2002
EU Level: European Coal and Steel Community Treaty expires<#PDF_LINK>The European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) Treaty expired on 23 July 2002. One of the results was the winding up of the activities of the ECSC Consultative Committee (which included social partner representatives), which are to be taken on by the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC). To mark the occasion, the EESC held a one-day symposium on 23 July.
- 09 Sep 2002
EU Level: 2003 designated European Year of People with Disabilities<#PDF_LINK>The European Union has designated 2003 as the European Year of People with Disabilities. A range of activities will be staged around the EU during the course of the year, with the aim of raising awareness of the position of people with disabilities, eliminating discrimination and removing obstacles to their joining and participating in the labour market.
- 09 Sep 2002
EU Level: Commission sets out strategy to promote employee financial participation<#PDF_LINK>In July 2002, the European Commission gave a boost to employee financial participation in the EU by issuing a Communication on how to promote this practice. One of its main action points is the creation of an independent working party to examine the obstacles hindering the development of financial participation.
- 20 Aug 2002
EU Level: Commission issues Communication on social dialogue<#PDF_LINK>A new Communication from the European Commission, issued in June 2002, sets out ways in which the EU-level social dialogue process can be strengthened and enhanced over the coming years. One of the main innovations is the proposed creation of a new tripartite social summit, which would replace the Standing Committee on Employment.
- 06 Aug 2002
EU Level: Eurostat charts incidence of weekend working<#PDF_LINK>An analysis of the 2000 EU Labour Force Survey, published by Eurostat in July 2002, shows that a significant proportion of the EU workforce works at weekends. However, there are large variations across Member States.
- 06 Aug 2002
EU Level: New campaign to combat work-related stress<#PDF_LINK>A new campaign aimed at fighting work-related stress was launched in July 2002 by the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work. It is estimated that this problem affects over 40 million employees in the EU.
- 24 Jul 2002
EU Level: New global agreements at Norske Skog and Volkswagen<#PDF_LINK>June 2002 saw the conclusion of two new global social and labour rights agreements in multinational companies based in Europe. The first, in the form of adeclaration on social rights and industrial relationships, was signed at the German motor manufacturing Volkswagen. The second was at the Norwegian paper multinational, Norske Skog.
- 23 Jul 2002
EU Level: Social partners sign teleworking accord<#PDF_LINK>In July 2002, the central EU-level social partners signed a framework agreement on the regulation of telework. The accord, which will be implemented by the members of the signatory parties, regulates areas such as employment conditions for teleworkers, health and safety, training and collective rights. It also provides a definition of telework.
- 23 Jul 2002
EU Level: Commission launches new strategy on corporate social responsibility<#PDF_LINK>In July 2002, the European Commission launched a new EU-level strategy on the development of corporate social responsibility (CSR). The strategy will sit alongside a range of existing projects and help to improve the transparency and credibility of CSR initiatives. It sets up amulti-stakeholder forumwhich will seek to establish a common EU-level approach to CSR. It also focuses on the needs of small and medium-sized enterprises.
- 09 Jul 2002
EU Level: Commission consults on supplementary pensions<#PDF_LINK>In June 2002, as part of its drive to increase freedom of movement within the European Union, the European Commission launched the first stage of consultations with the EU-level social partners on the transferability of supplementary pension provision.
- 09 Jul 2002
EU Level: Air traffic controllers stage international action<#PDF_LINK>Air traffic controllers held a day of industrial action around Europe on 19 June 2002, in protest against the European Commission's plans to create a single European airspace.
- 25 Jun 2002
EU Level: European Company Statute in focus<#PDF_LINK>During 2002, the governments of the EU Member States and the social partners are examining the implementation of the European Company Statute – the recent EU measure which allows for the creation of a new type of company incorporated at European level and regulates the employee involvement arrangements to apply in such firms.
- 25 Jun 2002
EU Level: Commission to consult on EU-level dispute resolution machinery<#PDF_LINK>During 2002, the European Commission is expected to begin consultations with the social partners on the possible establishment of a voluntary conciliation, mediation and arbitration service at European level. This feature reviews the background to this initiative.
- 11 Jun 2002
EU Level: June Council progresses social policy measures<#PDF_LINK>EU employment and social policy ministers met in Luxembourg on 3 June 2002 to discuss a range of issues, including the proposed Statute for a European Cooperative Society, a proposal for a new Directive on protection against exposure to asbestos, and a Community strategy on health and safety at work.
- 29 May 2002
EU Level: European study finds women face training, promotion and work-life balance problems<#PDF_LINK>The findings of a major EU research project on the progress of women working in junior positions in the finance and retail sectors in eight Member States were presented in May 2002. The project found that: there is a lack of training, particularly in the retail sector; advancement opportunities are rare or not possible to take; and it is becoming increasingly difficult for women in these positions to manage work and their private lives.
- 07 May 2002
EU Level: Conciliation committee agrees text of draft equal treatment Directive<#PDF_LINK>A draft EU Directive updating the 1976 equal treatment Directive is nearing final adoption, following the agreement of a compromise text by a Council/European Parliament conciliation committee in April 2002. The text, which covers matters including sexual harassment, now goes to the Parliament and the Council for final approval.
- 07 May 2002
EU Level: Age diversity guidelines agreed in commerce sector<#PDF_LINK>In March 2002, the European-level social partners in the commerce sector agreed a set of voluntary guidelines on promoting age diversity at the workplace. The guidelines focus on areas such as non-discrimination, equal access to training, and adaptability of working time arrangements in order to allow older workers to carry on participating actively in the labour force.
- 29 Apr 2002
EU Level: Council discusses European Cooperative Society and protection against asbestos<#PDF_LINK>The EU Employment and Social Policy Council met on 7 March 2002 to debate a number of topics. The debates were dominated by preparations for the Barcelona European Council on 15-16 March and discussions on the progress of the proposed Directive on worker involvement in a European Cooperative Society and of the proposal to update an existing Directive on protection from the risks related to exposure to asbestos.
- 26 Apr 2002
EU Level: High-level group issues report on future of industrial relations<#PDF_LINK>The European Commission's high-level group on industrial relations and change issued its report in March 2002. The report highlights the role of the social partners and the social dialogue at all levels in developing the agenda for industrial relations over the coming years.
- 26 Apr 2002
EU Level: Working time Directive extended to mobile workers in road transport<#PDF_LINK>A new EU Directive on the organisation of working time for mobile workers in road transport came into force on 23 March 2002. The text regulates a range of areas, including maximum weekly working time, rest breaks and limits on night work. It excludes self-employed drivers for four years.
- 26 Apr 2002
EU Level: Social partners agree training framework<#PDF_LINK>A new joint text on lifelong learning was signed in February 2002 by the EU-level social partners. Aimed at supporting the lifelong development of competencies, the text highlights four priority areas for action: identification and anticipation of competencies and qualifications needs; recognition and validation of competencies and qualifications; information, support and guidance; and resources.
- 23 Apr 2002
EU Level: Commission proposes Directive on temporary agency workers<#PDF_LINK>A proposal for a new Directive regulating the working conditions of temporary agency workers was issued by the European Commission in March 2002. This followed the breakdown of social partner negotiations on this topic during 2001. The proposal aims to ensure equal treatment between temporary agency workers and comparable workers in the user company on a range of basic working conditions, including pay, working time, breaks and holidays.
- 22 Apr 2002
EU Level: Final approval given to consultation Directive<#PDF_LINK>The controversial EU employee consultation Directive was formally adopted by the European Parliament and Council during February 2002. Following publication of the Directive in the EU Official Journal, Member States have until March 2005 to comply with its requirements.
- 09 Apr 2002
EU Level: Day of action in rail sector<#PDF_LINK>On 26 March 2002, trade unions representing rail workers organised an international day of action in support of safety and social standards in the sector. In Europe, the action focused on the forthcoming liberalisation of international rail freight transport within the EU.
- 09 Apr 2002
EU Level: Social partners react to Commission consultation on restructuring<#PDF_LINK>The European-level social partners have issued their first reactions to the European Commission's January 2002 consultation on industrial restructuring. UNICE sees no need for further regulation of this issue at Community level, although it would be willing to enter into exchanges of experience, while ETUC has invited UNICE and CEEP to enter into substantive discussions.
- 09 Apr 2002
EU Level: Commission launches new health and safety strategy<#PDF_LINK>The European Commission launched a new four-year health and safety strategy in March 2002, concentrating on matters such as bullying and violence at work and stress-related conditions. It also aims to establish and consolidate a culture of risk prevention and build on existing achievements.
- 09 Apr 2002
EU Level: European Commission and ILO cooperate on social issues<#PDF_LINK>The ILO and the European Commission held a high-level meeting in February 2002 to discuss cooperation on a range of social issues. They will cooperate in areas such as the social aspects of globalisation, the alleviation of poverty, employment policy, health and safety, social protection and social dialogue.
- 21 Mar 2002
EU Level: 2001 Annual Review for the European Union level<#PDF_LINK>This record reviews the major social and employment policy events at European Union level during 2001.
- 20 Mar 2002
EU Level: Barcelona summit assesses labour market progress<#PDF_LINK>European heads of state and employment ministers met in Barcelona on 15–16 March 2002 for the annual spring European Council to discuss economic, social and environment issues. The Council praised the progress made by the EU employment strategy but noted that more needed to be done to achieve the targets set by the Lisbon and Stockholm Councils in 2000 and 2001, and outlined a number of priority actions
- 20 Mar 2002
EU Level: Commission issues labour market mobility action plan<#PDF_LINK>The European Commission issued in February 2002 an action plan designed to increase labour market mobility within the EU. In the plan, which builds on the recent recommendations of the high-level task force on skills and labour mobility, the Commission sets out action plans in the areas of improving occupational mobility, improving geographical mobility and improving access to information on employment around the EU.
- 07 Mar 2002
EU Level: Conference debates social dialogue in the hospitals sector<#PDF_LINK>The EU-level social partners in the hospitals sector held a joint conference in February 2002 on the future of the social dialogue in their sector. They looked at the possibility of working towards formal EU-level dialogue and examined the issue of freedom of movement, agreeing to set up a taskforce to look into this issue.
- 25 Feb 2002
EU Level: Global agreement signed at Endesa<#PDF_LINK>Trade unions and management representatives concluded aglobal agreementat the Spanish-owned power firm Endesa in January 2002. The accord commits the parties to respecting international labour standards, trade union rights and health and safety standards, and to recognising the importance of vocational training. It also establishes regular international meetings between unions and management. Also in January 2002, the existing global agreement on workers' rights at the German multinational Freudenberg was renewed without amendment.
- 08 Feb 2002
EU Level: Commission reports on employment in wake of terrorist attacks<#PDF_LINK>In January 2002, the European Commission issued a report examining the employment implications of the recent economic slowdown and of the terrorist attacks on the USA on 11 September 2001.
- 08 Feb 2002
EU Level: Informal Council discusses employment targets and pensions<#PDF_LINK>EU employment and social policy ministers met informally in Burgos, Spain in January 2002. The main topics for discussion were the EU employment strategy and the new strategy for coordination in the area of pensions.
- 04 Feb 2002
EU Level: Recent developments in sectoral social dialogue<#PDF_LINK>The European-level sectoral social dialogue is now a well-established process, with a total of 26 sectors having established dialogue committees. A range of joint texts have been negotiated by these committees over the past few years, on issues which include equal opportunities, modernisation of work, training, enlargement and corporate social responsibility. We review the situation in early 2002.
- 30 Jan 2002
EU Level: Commission seeks agreement onsocially intelligentrestructuring<#PDF_LINK>In January 2002, the European Commission launched consultations with EU-level employers' and trade union organisations about how to anticipate and manage the social effects of corporate restructuring. The Commission would like to see agreements on this issue at cross-industry or sectoral level.
- 16 Jan 2002
EU Level: Laeken Council endorses employment strategy and prepares for further Treaty reform<#PDF_LINK>The European Council held in Laeken in December 2001 under the outgoing Belgian EU Presidency discussed a number of employment-related topics, including progress towards the targets set by the Lisbon strategy. It also began the process of further Treaty reform.
- 16 Jan 2002
EU Level: Spanish Presidency sets out priorities<#PDF_LINK>The Spanish Presidency of the EU runs from 1 January to 30 June 2002. The Presidency's priorities in the social and employment field include continuing the Lisbon and Luxembourg strategies, removing obstacles to employment and to mobility within the EU, and improving the quality of work.
- 16 Jan 2002
EU Level: Global accord against child labour in chocolate and cocoa<#PDF_LINK>A new global agreement aimed at fighting child and forced labour was signed in November 2001 by the social partners in the chocolate and cocoa sector. The accord, one of the first of its kind, commits the signatory parties to cooperating to try to eradicate these practices.
- 16 Jan 2002
EU Level: High-level skills and mobility task force makes recommendations<#PDF_LINK>A report issued in December 2001 by a European Commission-convened high-level task force on skills and mobility recommends far-reaching improvements to a range of skills and competences, in addition to the removal of a number of obstacles to labour mobility within the EU.