Social Europe working group already divided on EU competences

The main issue in the Working Group is whether social policies should be more harmonised at EU level or should remain the responsibility of the member states. Some countries are in favour of a more active approach of the EU in areas such as the fight against unemployment and social exclusion, gender equality and social dialogue. Others refer to subsidiarity and argue that the diversity in national social systems should be respected.
Following are some divided positions:
In a contribution to the debate, UK government representative to the Convention, Peter Hain, argues against giving the Union more competences in the social policy field. "The challenge is rather for the Union and Community to take more effective and coherent action in respect of its existing competences", Mr. Hain states. His government sticks to having control of the national minimum wage and opposes further extension of QMV in the social policy field. "I believe that extending QMV in the social policy field could hinder economic reform and make it more difficult to create new jobs".

Commission representative David O'Sullivan sees the need to clarify within the new Treaty how coordination of policies in the social field should work, but he refrains from asking for new competences in this area. He clearly states that "the management and financing of social protection systems remains a national competence".
UNICE Convention member Georges Jacobs states in his contribution that the EU competences with regard to social policy should not be extended. UNICE agrees that in an enlarged Europe, QMV should be the rule for issues relating to free movement of people, but opposes to change unanimity voting for the very specific areas of social protection. The EU should not have competences on issues such as remuneration, strikes and lock-outs and UNICE is therefore "strongly opposed to the suggestion to delete article 137 paragraph 6 of the TEC".
A joint contribution by the UK, Spanish and Estonian government representatives stressed the need to respect the "huge diversity" between how the values of the European social model are implemented in the social systems of Member States. This diversity of the social systems should be seen as " a source of strength, not a weakness". "The adaptability of social systems becomes even more important to enable Member States to maintain competitiveness and high employment, to cope with 'shocks' specific to that Member State, and to meet different national or even regional challenges", says the contribution paper. The three countries (supported also by the Danish, Irish and Dutch governments) refer to the Lisbon Agenda and urge to find the right balance between regulation and flexibility.
Secretary-General of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), Emilio Gabaglio, on the other hand, is in favour of more QMV in these policy areas. He also urges to include an explicit reference to the social partners in the new Constitutional Treaty and asks to also include "the general principle of extensive and structured consultation of civil society organisations by the EU institutions to promote openness, good governance and citizens involvement".

Contribution from the EESC's observers to the draft Constitutional Treaty

Anne-Marie Sigmund, Roger Briesch and Göke Frerichs, the three EESC observers, have submitted to the European Convention their contribution concerning the drawing up of articles 23 and 34 of the new constitutional treaty, the initial draft of which was presented to the Convention by its President Valéry Giscard D'Estaing on 28 October.
The contribution forms part of the Committee's new drive to be the institutional focal point for the representation of information and expression of organised civil society.
Concerning article 23, which would have as its title "the advisory institutions of the Union", the contribution that the Committee can bring to the democratic life of the Union in "promoting the participation of civil society and the creation of consensus" is highlighted.
As for Article 34, it would be given the title of "participative democracy" and would contain an explicit reference to civil dialogue with the Committee ensuring that "the Union maintains permanent dialogue with civil society organisations".

Papandreou will replace Katiforis at the European Convention

The new President of the Council of the EU, George Papandreou, will replace Georges Katiforis MEP as the Greek government's representative on the European Convention, which will gain another EU Foreign Minister (alongside the Belgian, Spanish, German and French Foreign Ministers). In a recent interview to Agence Europe, when questioned about the possibility, Katiforis said that a personal commitment to the Convention by Papandreou would be excellent.

Giscard to unveil draft articles at the end of January

As announced by Valéry Giscard d'Estaing after the last Convention plenary of 2002, the Praesidium will unveil at the end of January, draft articles on the next series of titles from the preliminary draft Constitutional Treaty unveiled on 28 October: I Setting the EU's Objectives; II Citizenship and Fundamental Rights; III The Union's competencies and activities; ad the end of February, draft articles on titles V: Implementing the Union's competencies and activities; VII: EU finances; IX: The Union and its close environment; end of March, draft titles IV: The Union's institutions; and VI: The democratic life of the Union.
Also before the end of January, the Praesidium will be presenting an analysis of the articles for the second part of the Treaty (on Union policies and activities) to be scrapped, amended or replaced. The Convention Chairman Valéry Giscard d'Estaing is suggesting that the Praesidium propose draft articles to the Convention for the elements to be significantly amended, while for the articles which only require technical changes, a small group of experts from the three institutions' legal services may prepare the texts.
At the end of December, Valéry Giscard d'Estaing said that this would make it possible to ensure that the Convention can discuss the full text of the three parts of the new Treaty at the end of April, beginning of May. He explained that if the texts are acceptable, a brief written procedure may suffice for the handful of suggested amendments; if there is debate over the substance, use might be made of "focus groups" to investigate key issues that emerge during the plenary debates and report back to the next session. He argued that this would give each Convention member the option of being involved in drafting the various sections of the Treaty and there would therefore be the greatest likelihood of reaching the broadest possible consensus within the Convention by the summer.

Reminder: Economic and social Committee’s meetings planned

The Economic and Social Committee released the calendar of their sessions of information and dialogue with European organisations and networks on the European Convention which will be held during the 1st semester of 2003.

* Tuesday 4 February
* Thursday 6 March
* Wednesday 23 April
* Wednesday 21 May
* Wednesday 11 June

All these sessions will be held in the morning. The exact time will be communicated at a later date.

By: Platform of European Social NGOs
Contact: Tel: +32 2 5111909; Fax: +32 2 5111909
E-mail: platform@socialplatform.org