EPSU welcomes EP call for social dimension to South-East European Energy Treaty
Press Communication (19 May, Brussels) The demands of trade unions from South East Europe, supported by EPSU, for a social dimension in the South East European Energy Community received full support from the European Parliament, 18 May. The Parliament voted on a resolution tabled by energy committee chair Giles Chicester that demanded the European Commission to take full account of the social dimension. The resolution demands in particular:
an unequivocal commitment by the signatories to respect and implement the European Union Charter of Fundamental Rights
that matters relating to employment, social impact and restructuring, working conditions, equality, health and safety, information and consultation and social dialogue will be treated in a separate Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The Council, Commission and government should develop it to become a legally binding instrument;
that caution should be exercised in the privatisation of utilities and that reasonable prices, public service obligations and democratic control need to be ensured
that representatives of the social partners from the countries concerned participate in the European sectoral social dialogue committees
a democratisation of the institutions, a role for the EP and that the European Commission publishes an overview of opinions of relevant stakeholders, particularly social partners, consumer and environmental organisations and municipalities;
EPSU welcomes the vote. EPSU Deputy General Secretary Jan Willem Goudriaan states: "The European Parliament has given a strong signal to the Commission and Council that any deal on the South East European Energy Treaty should be based on all EU values, at the core of which is the social dimension".
Energy Committee vice-chair Britta Thomsen MEP welcomed the resolution, stating that; "the European Commission has been given a strong signal that it cannot ’cherrypick" the values it wishes to export, and that the social dimension of energy policy must be respected".
The Parliament is supportive of the work on the Memorandum of Understanding on the social aspects of the energy community. European Commissioner Piebalgs committed to this Memorandum at the EPSU Energy Conference 3-4 November 2005. The Commission is discussing this with the governments concerned. The EPSU Deputy General Secretary says: “We now expect the European Commission and SEE governments to fully implement the demands of the European Parliament and consult with the trade unions.”
For more information please contact Jan Willem Goudriaan + 32 2 2501080 or epsu@epsu.org
For more information on the work of EPSU on the South East European Energy Community, please check: www.epsu.org/r/239
The resolution is available in different languages at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/activities/expert/motion.do?WS=10&SV=10&language=EN The European Parliament also voted on a resolution in which it gives its assent (approves) the South East European Energy Treaty which establishes the Internal Market for Electricity and Gas and sets up the institutions through which this will be realised.
EPSU is the European Federation of Public Service Unions. It is the largest federation of the ETUC. 8 million public service workers and their 213 trade unions are members. They organise workers in health and social services, local and national administration, energy, water, waste. For more information on EPSU and our work: www.epsu.org
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