April 2023 Newsletter Workers' Group

SOC 764 - Strengthening social dialogue

Rapporteur: Pekka Ristelä

Social Dialogue and its main function, collective bargaining, are key in shaping economic, labour, and social policies as well as the business environment, and in managing changes in working life. We welcome the Commission communication on Strengthening social dialogue in the EU. However, the structure dialogue should not be taken for granted, and we appreciate that the EC highlights the need to improve tripartite social dialogue at both European and national levels and the assessment of this dialogue. Furthermore, we are concerned about the unclear situation regarding the implementation of social partner agreements through Council directives without clarity, transparency and predictability. The specific role of social partner organisations should be recognized, and respected in social dialogue structures and processes.

SOC 755 – Competence and skill development in a context of the green and digital transition

Rapporteur: Maria del Carmen Barrera Chamorro

The green and digital transition is making a strong impact on the labour market. Gradually, and due to job automation, a reduction in the number of medium-skilled, medium-wage jobs can be observed in favour of an increase in low-paid, low-skilled jobs. Employment in higher skilled, high-paid jobs is also expected and will increase skills intensity. Meaning, job polarisation. We consider that effective access to training is key to help business and workers meet this challenge and prevent this phenomenon. Education must be the drive of this transition, not collective dismissals. In the opinion it is highlighted that the initiatives taken to date have been insufficient. We would like to stress the role of collective bargaining as a tool for shaping and adapting training programmes as well as the need to monitor the capacity to anticipate future training needs for the MS. Finally, from the Workers' Group, we note that there are wide disparities when it comes to disadvantaged groups, especially older people. We should take them into account to ensure a just transition for everyone.

TEN 795 The transition to a long-term sustainable transport system

Co-rapporteur:  Mateusz Szymanski

Among others, one of the objectives which the European Commission has set to tackle the climate change is a 90% emission reduction in the transport sector by 2050. This transition should be made in a way that makes citizens and business see it as acceptable financially. For this transition to succeed, some conditions must be fulfilled: business must feel that the transition is not a burden, employees must experience the transition as acceptable and be given the possibility to adapt to new working conditions, and citizens in agglomerations and rural areas must be granted accessibility at a reasonable cost. Moreover, the Committee underlines the different conditionalities that diverse types of transport may have and the lack of technologies for them (e.g., heavy-duty transport), the possible scarcity of raw materials for the electric batteries and other external factors. Employee participation is key for the transformation to succeed, as there is short supply and precarity.

SOC 745 Precarious work and mental health

Rapporteur: Jose Antonio Moreno Díaz

Precarious work increases the chances of workers' mental health deteriorating. Those works follow similar patterns: high job insecurity, high level of control, involuntary part-time, zero-our contracts, low salaries or lack of career development. The Workers, in order to reduce precarious work and the prevalence of the associated mental health problems, believes that is necessary to ensure that European and national legislation establish quality, healthy working and employment conditions. To this end, the EESC considers necessary to step up measures to monitor and audit compliance with this legislation, and ensure proper financial sanctions for non-compliance. Furthermore, the EESC proposes adopting specific legislation on preventing psychosocial risks at EU level, and modernising the Directive on OHS. Finally, the EESC supports the ongoing negotiations on the proposal of the Directive on improving working conditions of digital platforms.

SOC 752 - Anti-trafficking directive

José Antonio Moreno Diaz

Trafficking in human beings is a heinous crime and a serious violation of people's fundamental rights: the Workers' Group welcomes any measure to prevent and combat trafficking on human beings and to protect victims. The broadening of the definition of the new forms of exploitation is positive, but taking into account that the gender dimension should be strengthened, given the fact that the vast majority of victims are women and girls specially for sexual purposes. Any legal framework against human trafficking should pay greater attention to victims and reiterate the importance of working  to prevent trafficking, emphasising the need to reduce demand for all forms of exploitation

SOC 746 Democracy at work

Reiner Hoffman

Democracy at work is a set of components such as  a vibrant social dialogue, a fair balance of rights and responsabilities  in the workplace , a promotion of a culture of cooperation between employers and workers, and workers' participation in the decision-making. The EESC considers that employee participation need to feature more prominently in the public conciusness, and be strengthened through a reliable European legal framework. European Works Councils have made a positive contribution to the companies' long term economic, social and environment objectives, and they should be expanded. Technological innovations, AI developments and the green transition effects can lead to a democratic backlash, therefore it is critical that digital technology is introuced in consultation with the workforce. The educative role of workplace participation is considered key to support democratic practices in a wider political and societal meanings

ECO 606 VAT rules for the digital age

Philip Von Brockdorff

Since 2022, the Commission aims to modernize the EU-Value Added Tax (VAT), with the double purpose of updating the VAT system to the digital era, and making it more fraud-resilient, reducing the VAT gap (around EUR 90 billion). On the proposal, the EESC regrets that the Commission does not take the opportunity to align VAT treatment between good and services. In addition, the Committee considers that the suggested timeline of two days for reporting intra-Community supplies of good and services is too short, and agreed that the summary invoices should be eliminated since it would create problems in many sectors. Furthermore, the EESC is concerned in the probably raise of prices for consumers with the new procedures, and on the need to keep the vigilance on data protection. Finally, the proposal should make tax collection effective and timely, reducing VAT fraud and the VAT gap.

CCMI 206 Initiative on virtual worlds, such as metaverse

Martin Böhme

The next generation of the internet will make us be even more interconnected, and it will be a wider window for commerce and society. The metaverse's technology is based on four branches, the augmented reality (AR), the virtual reality (VR), extended reality (XR) and digital twins. This new technology creates some risks and impact that should be addressed, and it will have impacts in the business environment, the working conditions and the development of the civil society. The EESC's position is that transparency in the metaverse is needed, so the legislator can address all the challenges with the most information as possible. Especial concerns arises in labour conditions in those working in the metaverse whose working status as self-employed or employees should be respected, as well as their working conditions. Tax collection and cyberbullying are two other topics that should be managed to create a legal and safe environment. Nevertheless, the EESC welcomes that metaverse could have a good impact on climate issues.

 

ECO 600 The EESC's recommendations for a solid reform of the European Semester

Javier Doz Orrit

The European Semester is the European Union's framework for the coordination and surveillance of economic and social policies. The purpose of this opinion is to propose a reform  of it in order to make EU economic governance more transparent, democratic and effective, involving OCS more effectively. The EESC considers that the level of participation of the organised civil society (OCS) in the Semester is insufficient and of low quality in a majority of MS. It also claims that EU parliament, and national, regional and local authorities should strength their role.

Specifically, the EESC has three main claims: the maintenance and reinforcement of Country-Specific Recommendations covering a period of three years, a structured formal mechanism of consultation to the civil organizations following a EU regulation and a system of incentives of the establishment of this framework linked to the Recovery and Resilience Facility.

 

CCMI 199  Development of post-Euro 6/VI emission standards for cars, vans, lorries and buses

Guido Nelissen

Reducing road transport emissions is key for achieving the EU objectives regarding ambient air quality. Therefore Euro-7 must be supported as it contains many improvements: continuous on-board measuring of emissions, better consideration of real driving emissions, obligation for the sector to prevent tampering, establishment of durability requirements for batteries, integration of tyre- and brake particles, etc. However, setting new standards must be done in a proportionate and cost-effective way in order to ensure the competitiveness of Europe’s automotive industry, to avoid mass restructurings and to guarantee that individual mobility remains affordable to all.

INT 1011 The Single Market at 30 – how to further improve the functioning of the Single Market

Angelo Pagliara

The Single Market, one of the EU’s biggest success stories, should be accompanied by adequate control and protection tools regarding the quality of work, a level playing field for all companies, citizens' rights, and consumer protection, as well as by measures to overcome all forms of social and fiscal dumping.

Furthermore, we call for an acceleration in the recognition of qualifications and diplomas between Member States, with specific attention for displaced workers.

A more rapid harmonisation on new issues is needed, before Member States adopt diverging rules, and a harmonised response to the need of more economic autonomy and to foreign subsidies, which should be at Single Market level in order to maintain economic and social coherence. This would also include joint purchasing where needed.

INT 1010 Further enhancing the EU's digital competitiveness

Philip von Brockdorff

The opinion focuses on the EU's competitiveness in the context of the digital transition towards a more sustainable economic growth model. It addresses the measures and policies necessary to further enhance the EU's digital competitiveness, and in particular to enable businesses and workers to benefit from the process of digitalisation. Europe's competitiveness as compared with its main competitor nations has deteriorated over the past years. Digitalisation, however, is an area where the EU has made important progress and could be the basis for increased competitiveness and profitability for businesses and improved working conditions for workers. Therefore, a forward-looking perspective is needed involving among others important investments in research and innovation as well as in digital skills, regulations which are fit for purpose and encourage innovation and investment, and increased funding focused on bringing digital technology to businesses, citizens and public administrations. European citizens must be involved in the digital competitiveness strategy and must feel reassured when it comes to one of the most relevant topics regarding digital and data collection: cybersecurity.

REX 574 Specific rules relating to medicinal products for human use intended to be placed on the market of Northern Ireland

Jack O'Connor

We support the adoption and early implementation of the proposed regulation, which would ensure continuity of supply of medicinal products for human use in Northern Ireland and enhance the prospects for implementation of the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland, as well as contribute to the protection of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement. We also agree that it is essential that the proposed regulation contains a provision that enables suspension of the specific rules by the Commission in the event of the UK's non-compliance. Finally, we call for ongoing consultations with key stakeholders to help ensure timely implementation as well as monitoring for any future risks to the delivery of the objectives at stake.

NAT/885 Right to a healthy environment in the European Union especially in the context of the Ukrainian War

Ozlem Yildirim

The fact that the candidate status has been granted to Ukraine and its high biodiversity compared to other MS, obligates to make a reflection on the environmental damage caused by the war in the country. This includes ecosystem degradation, air and water pollution, and contamination of arable and pastures fields. Russia's actions may constitute 'ecocide', as proposed for the Committee in charge of the revision of EU Environmental Crime Directive.

The EESC highlights the need to improve environmental protection for fundamental Rights in the EU and beyond and the support in documenting, mapping and measuring the environmental consequences of Russia's invasion. Moreover, the EESC calls on the Commission and the Council to protect the right to a healthy environment during the Ukranian re-construction and to detect environmental pollution induced by the war in agricultural products, in order to guarantee the health of all Europeans.

 

CCMI 199 Development of post-Euro 6/VI emission standards for cars, vans lorries and buses

Guido Nelissen

The automotive sectors accounts for around 10% of the added value generated by industry in the EU and employs 13 million Europeans. The industry is facing two challenges nowadays: an unstoppable decline due to digitalization and de-carbonisation, and a shortage of workforce with skills related to both areas.

The EESC believes that the employment dimension must be addressed by increased efforts regarding vocational training, upskilling/ reskilling of the workforce, regional/local programmes of economic reconversion and professional reclassification. Moreover, the Committee welcomes the introduction of Euro 7 emission standards, as well as it calls for a realistic and cost-effective approach when setting this emissions. However, it is necessary to take into account the principle of proportionality, to avoid mobility poverty, and the rise of costs due to Euro 7 emission standards.  Finally, the EESC proposes to base the new regulation on a scientific cost-benefit analysis, to offer incentives to consumers and a swift adoption of the regulation regarding the time frame.