• 19.12.2014 Press release

    European Summit outcome - December 2014

    Commenting on the European Summit which finished in record time last night, Bernadette Ségol, Secretary General of the European Trade Union Confederation said “Adopting the investment plan is a positive move and I urge the member states to boost the funds available as the current proposal is too small. The proposals for Energy Union and digital single market are ambitious and might create additional jobs. I would like to see the same ambition applied to worker, consumer and environmental protection but I am still waiting.”  
  • 18.12.2014 Press release

    Appointment of Edmund Stoiber as European Commission Special Adviser for Better Regulation

    Source: European Commission
    Commenting on the appointment of Edmund Stoiber as European Commission Special Advisor on ‘Better Regulation’, Veronica Nilsson, Confederal Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation said “I fear Mr Stoiber will not help with better regulation, but lobby on behalf of business for less regulation. That risks being at the expense of workers, consumers and the environment. It could mean further delays in much needed  health and safety regulations such as on exposure at work to cancer-causing chemicals.
  • 18.12.2014 Press release

    International Migrants Day

    International Migrants Day - Luca Visentini, Confederal Secretary of the ETUC, calls for European Union' action for rescuing migrants and asylum seekers and for the maintain of Marenostrum operations.
    To mark  International Migrants Day, trade unions are calling for continued humanitarian action to save migrants in the Mediterranean Sea. The Italian Government has announced it will end its ‘Mare Nostrum’ search and rescue operation in the absence of support from the EU and other member states. It is being ‘replaced’ by the EU Frontex Agency’s ‘Triton’ programme which is primarily concerned with border control.   ‘Mare Nostrum’ found and saved more than 100.000 migrants at sea.
  • 16.12.2014 Press release

    European Commission work Programme: All market and no social

    Commenting on the European Commission’s statement on its  work programme, Bernadette Ségol, General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation said “The priority given to jobs and the economy is correct.” “There is not a single proposal to improve worker, consumer or environmental protection. This does not seem the best way to restore public confidence in Europe. It is a business agenda, with no sign of Juncker’s commitment to the social market economy: it is all market and no social.”
  • 04.12.2014 Press release

    Smart regulation - Not so smart conclusions

    The EU Competitiveness Council is today expected to ask the Commission to propose targets for reducing ‘regulatory burden’. The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC)  is strongly opposed to such targets.
  • 02.12.2014 Speech

    Discussion points - EMPL/ INTA Hearing on Employment and Social Aspects of TTIP

    Discussion points by Tom Jenkins, Chief adviser at the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC)   [Check against delivery] The ETUC has three sine qua non conditions on TTIP: No ISDS; a guaranteed protection of public services; and an enforceable labour chapter.  Today’s meeting is dealing with that issue.   Growth and Employment  
  • 02.12.2014 Press release

    SOS Mare Nostrum

    The European Trade Union Confederation denounces the decision of the Italian Government and EU institutions to abandon search and rescue operations for migrants in the Mediterranean Sea. More than 100,000 migrants have been found and assisted at sea, while more than 2000 are estimated to have died attempting to reach the EU by boat from North Africa. Desperate people fleeing war and poverty in Africa and the Middle East are making the dangerous crossing, often in overcrowded boats in poor condition, and dependent on ruthless traffickers.
  • 01.12.2014 Press release

    Stop Death, Disease and Illness at work

    The EU must take action to stop the 100,000 deaths a year caused by occupational cancers.   The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) meeting in Brussels today condemned the European Commission for blocking health and safety improvements* and for putting forward an extremely weak health and safety strategy (‘Framework Strategy 2014-2020’).   The ETUC called today for
  • 01.12.2014 Speech

    Europe – The political cost of the crisis

    Editorial published in the Neues Deutschland by ETUC General Secretary : http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/958450.endlich-mehr-fairness-in-europa.html on 15 January 2015.   Europe  – The political cost of the crisis   Europe’s economy has been a mess since the crisis caused by greedy and reckless financial corporates ‘empowered’ by deregulation.
  • 01.12.2014 Press release

    Investment: what should the EU spend on?

    Investment in energy infrastructure, transport, smart phone technology and nanotechnology will have the biggest impact on economic growth and jobs according to a new study for the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC). The study by Syndex aims to support the ETUC’s work on an ambitious investment plan for Europe to boost sustainable growth and decent jobs, and feed into the European Parliament and Council’s discussions on the limited proposals tabled by Commission President Juncker.
  • 28.11.2014 Press release

    European Semester: ETUC comment

    Commenting on the European Semester, Bernadette Ségol, Secretary General of the European Trade Union Confederation said   “I hear a lot of concern about jobs and growth, but I see only the same old failed solutions.” “I do not accept that structural reforms and fiscal responsibility are paying off. Much of what has been done in recent years has increased unemployment, increased precarious work, and killed demand.”