This document is a joint ETUC and ETUI contribution on the occasion of the passing of Jacques Delors.

Dear President of the European Commission Ms Ursula von der Leyen, We are addressing you after receiving information about delays in the publication of initiative on quality traineeships. The EU needs to take action to make traineeships empowering not exploitative. We need rules that ensure quality traineeships provide a truly formative experience accessible to all, instead of exclusive opportunities available only to the lucky few, which furthermore often replace entry-level jobs that would have been taken by young workers.

Urgent call to reconsider the Presidency Proposal on the Directive on Improving Working Conditions in platform economy Letter sent to Pierre-Yves Dermagne, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Economy and Employment   Dear Minister Pierre-Yves Dermagne, We address you this letter at the beginning of the Belgium Presidency, which we hope will be a successful one.

It is with great sadness that the ETUC learnt of the passing of former President of the European Commission, Jacques Delors. The trade union movement loses one of its own.   A committed trade unionist himself, his presidency of the European Commission was marked by a deep commitment to social dialogue, social justice and solidarity – values as relevant and even more needed today. 

Dear Josef, I am contacting you to express the solidarity and deepest condolences from the ETUC to the families of those killed and affected by the senseless shootings in Prague. We sincerely wish the injured a full recovery. We commend the responses of the university students and staff, as well as the emergency response workers, who reacted quickly in the face of the horrifying events. The European Trade Union Confederation and our trade union family reaches out in solidarity to CMKOS and we stand with you and your members on your national day of mourning tomorrow.

Position on the Review of the Mandate of the European Labour Authority Adopted at the Executive Committee Meeting of 6-7 December 2023

Taxing the wealth for tackling social inequalities and climate change Adopted at the Executive Committee of 06-07 December 2023  

Macroeconomic challenges. ETUC priorities and strategy for 2024 Adopted at the Executive Committee of 06-07 December 2023   (ETUC STRATEGY FOR SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY IN EU ECONOMICs)

ETUC Resolution on the European Job Guarantee Adopted at the Executive Committee Meeting of 6-7 December 2023 The ETUC supports the idea of a European Job Guarantee, which would provide employment opportunities for the long-term unemployed through a state-run programme for job seekers unable to find opportunities in the open labour market. The Job Guarantee should be built on the following main principles:

1. THE SITUATION OF YOUTH AT WORK IN THE COUNTRY 2. THE NATIONAL POLICIES ON YOUTH EMPLOYMENT IN THE COUNTRY  3. TRADE UNIONS AND YOUTH EMPLOYMENT IN THE COUNTRY 4. THE EU INITIATIVES FOR YOUTH EMPLOYMENT IN THE COUNTRY  5. KEY POLICY POINTERS

1. THE SITUATION OF YOUTH AT WORK IN THE COUNTRY 2. THE NATIONAL POLICIES ON YOUTH EMPLOYMENT IN THE COUNTRY  3. TRADE UNIONS AND YOUTH EMPLOYMENT IN THE COUNTRY 4. THE EU INITIATIVES FOR YOUTH EMPLOYMENT IN THE COUNTRY  5. KEY POLICY POINTERS

1. THE SITUATION OF YOUTH AT WORK IN THE COUNTRY 2. THE NATIONAL POLICIES ON YOUTH EMPLOYMENT IN THE COUNTRY  3. TRADE UNIONS AND YOUTH EMPLOYMENT IN THE COUNTRY 4. THE EU INITIATIVES FOR YOUTH EMPLOYMENT IN THE COUNTRY  5. KEY POLICY POINTERS

1. THE SITUATION OF YOUTH AT WORK IN THE COUNTRY 2. THE NATIONAL POLICIES ON YOUTH EMPLOYMENT IN THE COUNTRY  3. TRADE UNIONS AND YOUTH EMPLOYMENT IN THE COUNTRY 4. THE EU INITIATIVES FOR YOUTH EMPLOYMENT IN THE COUNTRY  5. KEY POLICY POINTERS

1. THE SITUATION OF YOUTH AT WORK IN THE COUNTRY 2. THE NATIONAL POLICIES ON YOUTH EMPLOYMENT IN THE COUNTRY  3. TRADE UNIONS AND YOUTH EMPLOYMENT IN THE COUNTRY 4. THE EU INITIATIVES FOR YOUTH EMPLOYMENT IN THE COUNTRY  5. KEY POLICY POINTERS

1. THE SITUATION OF YOUTH AT WORK IN THE COUNTRY 2. THE NATIONAL POLICIES ON YOUTH EMPLOYMENT IN THE COUNTRY  3. TRADE UNIONS AND YOUTH EMPLOYMENT IN THE COUNTRY 4. THE EU INITIATIVES FOR YOUTH EMPLOYMENT IN THE COUNTRY  5. KEY POLICY POINTERS

ETUC Position on the European Commission Proposal for an EU Talent Pool Adopted at the Meeting of 6 and 7 December 2023

ETUC Solidarity Statement with TESLA workers Statement adopted at the Executive Committee Meeting of 06-07 December 2023 The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) representing over 45 million workers and 93 trade union confederations and 10 European trade union federations in Europe offers all its support to the Swedish union IF Metall, in their demand for fairer working conditions via a collective agreement for Tesla workers in Sweden.

ETUC condemns the increasing criminalisation of LGBTIQ+ people and activists in Russia Statement adopted at the Executive Committee Meeting of 06-07 December 2023 Today the ETUC Executive Committee condemned a November 30 ruling by Russia's Supreme Court banning the activities of the "international LGBT movement" in the country. As there is no such organisation in existence, there was no defendant in court.

Across Europe, the real wages of millions of workers suffered a reduction not seen for many years. Now more than ever, ETUC calls for a pay rise: The cost of living crisis is putting additional pressure on workers who struggle to afford the most basic standard of living. Protecting purchasing power in the current cost of living crisis and closing the gap between high and low wages is crucial. Wage increases have, for too long, lagged behind productivity in many Member States.

Ahead of the forthcoming negotiating round with Indonesia, and given the increased commitments of the EU to Sustainable Development provisions within FTAs, the spotlight remains on Indonesia’s poor track record on labour rights.

On October 16, 2023, the European Parliament’s lead committees, the Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) and the Committee on International Trade (INTA) adopted, with an overwhelming majority, their position on the proposed on the proposed EU Forced Labour Regulation. The ETUC joined forces with civil society organisations to urge the EU Council to speed up negotiations to adopt a General Approach. The letter outlines four core elements that must be included in the Council's position:

Break the chain of dependency and promote equal treatment of migrant workers Joint statement on the revision of the Single Permit Directive 18 European networks and organisations, representing trade unions and NGOs, call on EU lawmakers not to trap migrant workers in exploitation, by ensuring a meaningful right to change employer, and to ensure full equal treatment, particularly in private rented housing.

Dear Minister, We are contacting you to call for a further one year extension of the general escape clause of the Stability and Growth Pact in order to give proper time to achieve a sustainable reform of economic governance that responds to the needs of people in Europe.

The Tripartite Social Summit took place on 25 October 2023. Interventions by Esther Lynch (ETUC), Enrico Somaglia (EFFAT) and Maxime Legrand (CEC) are attached. The text of Esther Lynch's intervention A Green Industrial Policy for a Great Jobs Economy follows: President von der Leyen, President Michel, Prime Minister Sanchez, Vice-President, Commissioner, Vice-President, Deputy Prime Minister, Secretary of State, colleagues,

The ETUC expresses its deepest condolences to the families of the victims of the terrorist attack in Brussels.  The ETUC also stands in solidarity with our Swedish affiliates LO, TCO and SACO, and with Sweden's football supporters who were visiting Brussels for the match against Belgium.  After darkness we hope for light.