EU at a crossroads: time to step up on social progress and fair trade

Following the publication of President Juncker’s White Paper on the Future of Europe, Maltese and European trade unions and the Maltese government agree that it is of the outmost importance to address the social deficit in Europe. This is why on the 11th and 12th May, the EESC’s Workers’ Group held an extraordinary meeting in Malta, on the occasion of the Maltese Presidency, to discuss among others the urgent need to achieve upward convergence in terms of living and working conditions between and within EU countries.

Workers and citizens will only regain their trust in the EU if it finds and delivers concrete solutions to their problems, by providing quality jobs and full employment, equal economic and social opportunities, social protection and personal security and well-being. The EU can only have a viable future if it changes the direction of its policies by accompanying them with a strong Social Pillar.

Against this background, the first day was devoted to the economic and social situation in the host country and the priorities and programme of the Maltese Presidency. A welcome address by Workers' Group President Gabriele Bischoff opened an important panel. Prime Minister Joseph Muscat gave a speech on the challenges for the Maltese Presidency and the results. With the Minister for the Family and Social Solidarity, Michael Farrugia, the Minister for Finance, Edward Scicluna, and the Minister for Tourism, Edward Zammit Lewis, we addressed social and economic cohesion, the labour market situation and industrial relations in Malta and in the EU. Important contributions were also provided by Josef Bugeja, Secretary General of the General Workers Union of Malta, Josef Vella, Chief Executive Officer of the Maltese Union UĦM Voice of the Workers, Ian Borg, Parliamentary Secretary for the EU Presidency 2017 and EU funds, and Georges Dassis, President of the EESC.

The second day focused on how to achieve a fairer, more transparent EU trade policy, which actually benefits workers and citizens, without jeopardizing social standards or the freedom of trade unions. Important contributions were provided by Professor of Labour Law, Reingard Zimmer, and Walloon government (Belgium) representative, Thierry Delaval, on CETA, as well as by Nikos Zaimis, European Commission, Liina Carr, ETUC Confederal Secretary and member of the Workers' Group, and Tanja Buzek, member of the Workers' Group.

Our Members alongside other trade unionists from Europe and worldwide have repeatedly stressed that trade agreements should not be only about the exchange of goods and services, but include provisions on sustainable development, transparency, and ensuring workers' and consumers' rights. The active involvement of civil society in the negotiations on any trade agreement is crucial to guarantee the integration and application of such provisions. It is about achieving a fair globalisation that profits everyone by enforcing basic principles like equal pay for equal work. Fair trade would also contribute to tackle the root causes of economic migration, in line with the Maltese government’s holistic approach to migration which includes promoting sustainable investment in Africa and the Neighbourhood.