June Council progresses social policy measures

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.

The Employment and Social Policy Council of Ministers met in Luxembourg on 3 June 2002 under the Spanish Presidency.

The Council agreed on a general approach regarding the Regulation on the Statute for a European Cooperative Society and the accompanying Directive on the involvement of employees. However, as substantial amendments have been made to the texts since the European Parliament (EP) gave its opinion on an earlier version of the proposals in January 1992, the Council decided to reconsult the EP. The draft Statute for a European Cooperative Society, originally proposed in 1992, seeks to provide cooperatives with the same opportunities for European-level operation as provided by the European Company Statute (ECS) for private limited companies, but it reached the same deadlock as affected the ECS for many years. However, following the progress made on the ECS and its accompanying Directive on worker involvement (adopted in October 2001 - EU0110203N), the European Cooperative Society and its proposed worker involvement Directive were revived in early 2001 and have made progress since.

The Council reached political agreement on a common position on the text of a proposed Directive on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to asbestos. This common position will be formally adopted at a future Council meeting. The main aim of this text, which amends the existing Directive (83/477/EEC) on the subject, is to introduce a single limit value for exposure, in contrast to the current two limit values.

The Council adopted a Resolution on a new Community strategy on health and safety at work, to run from 2002 to 2006. The Commission published the strategy in a Communication on Adapting to change in work and society: a new Community strategy on health and safety at work 2002–6, issued on 11 March 2002 (EU0204203N).

Work is continuing on the proposal for a Regulation aimed at reforming the coordination of the Community's social security systems, which involves revising the existing Regulation (No. 1408/71). The proposal aims to simplify arrangements in order to remove obstacles to the free movement of people. The Council also agreed on a general approach concerning the text of the Regulation extending the provisions of Regulation 1408/71 to nationals of third countries who are legally resident in the EU. The Council will formally adopt the text once the EP has delivered its opinion.

The Council adopted a Resolution on skills and mobility, following the Commission's presentation, in February 2002 (EU0203204F), of its action plan on these issues.

Finally, among other matters, Ministers took note of a Presidency briefing on gender mainstreaming in EU policies, in addition to a presentation by the Presidency of a study on violence against women in EU Member States. This subject will be studied in more detail under the Danish Presidency of the EU, which begins on 1 July 2002.