ETUC resolution on actions in the framework of the revision of the EU Economic Governance

ETUC resolution on actions in the framework of the revision of the EU Economic Governance

Adopted at the virtual Executive Committee Meeting of 8-9 December 2021

SUMMARY

This resolution sets out the actions that the ETUC will take, together with its Member organisations, to influence the political decision makers, build consensus around the review of the economic governance in the direction proposed by the trade union movement and to make it visible. The ETUC proposes two mobilisation actions: 1. Providing as many answers as possible to the public consultation on the review of economic governance; and, 2. A mobilisation campaign in favour of a new economic and social governance of the EU.

Discussions on the future architecture of the economic governance of the EU have entered  a decisive phase as of the 19^th of October when the European Commission issued the Communication “The EU economy after COVID-19: implications for economic governance”. The ETUC finds that the Communication raises the right issues but does not set a clear direction for the economic governance review.

Different visions are emerging at EU level at the moment. One that supports the conservative line and advocates for keeping the current neoliberal architecture that imposed austerity and deepened the crisis of 2010. The other, a more forward looking and progressive vision that looks to learn from the past and seeks to redesign  economic governance, including the EU instruments established in response to the COVID19 crisis. 

The positions adopted by the ETUC place the trade union agenda firmly with the second, forward looking and progressive vision. 2022 is the year when the trade union voice must be raised and heard loud and clear.

It is time to act. In addition to the political initiatives taken so far, the ETUC proposes two mobilising actions: 1) Providing as many answers as possible to the public consultation on the review of the economic governance; and, 2) A mobilisation campaign in favour of a new, reviewed economic and social governance of the EU.

1) Providing as many answers as possible to the public consultation on the review of economic governance. A public consultation, consisting of 11 questions, is now open for submissions until the 31^st of December, 2021. Responses should be submitted by as many trade union organisations (or individual trade union members) as possible. The ETUC has prepared some tools to help trade union members to prepare their answers in a simple and quick way. The toolbox includes:

• • Guidelines to provide input for the Public consultation. The ETUC provides an initial sentence to give a short answer for each question (there is no need to respond to all answers), these answers are available in several languages.
  • ETUC’s submission to the public consultation is available for all members, especially  those that want to enter into technicalities and want to remain close to the ETUC points.
  • A dedicated page with all relevant official positions of the ETUC is available on est.etuc.org (TUSLO portal).
  • An ETUC help-desk to guide ETUC members for the submission of their answers has been set up. Our members can count on the ETUC’s expertise to receive guidance on how to submit answers to the public consultation. Detailed information will be sent in a circular to all affiliated organisations.

By the 31^st of December, the ETUC aims to maximise the number of answers submitted and aligned with the ETUC positions adopted in the Executive Committee.

After the 31st of December, the ETUC will call on its Member organisations to mobilise and put political pressure on EU institutions and governments. The new economic governance architecture should take on board workers’ expectations for more social Europe.

2) A mobilisation campaign in favour of a new economic and social governance of the EU. The objective is to put pressure on political decision makers, building consensus around the review of the economic governance in the direction proposed by the trade union movement and making it visible.

By the 31^st of January, the ETUC will provide its members with a batch of campaigning instruments that shall include:

• Material that explains in an easy and accessible manner what is at stake for workers and their trade unions – Video, Infographics, Leaflets, etc.
• Events to explain to workers what the Economic Governance is and what we want to change
• Communication tools addressed to traditional and social media networks to give visibility to the trade union’s efforts to create consensus around the review of the economic governance and the trade union demands.
• Tools to establish a regular exchange with the European Commission, EU Parliament and Council, giving a voice to workers’ and trade unions’ initiatives organised in the framework of this campaign
• Building Alliances with Civil Society, academia and other stakeholders closer to our views.

The ETUC members will be involved in the outlining of the campaign materials especially through the TUSLO (contents) and Communication departments (campaign designing).

In coordination with the ETUC Secretariat, the ETUC member organisations will be asked to propose a set of actions according to their means and to share their plans in order to reinforce the ETUC actions and multiply best practices.

Tools of the Campaign will be financed through the New ETUC Semester Toolkit (Est) Project that will be active from January 2022. National events will be self-financed.

The Campaign will go on for 12 months starting on the 1^st February 2022. The ETUC will regularly report to the Executive Committee on the advancements, results and plans concerning the mobilisation.