Employment, demographic change and 3rd liberalisation package discussed

The social partners in the European gas sector

- Agreed a joint statement with the conclusions they draw from the employment study done by EcoTec for the European Commission (to read the EcoTec study, click here). The statement notes the problems liberalisation has brought for employment in the sector. It recognises outsourcing as a major challenge with which unions and employers have to deal and it establishes the need to develop the analysis further and gather more data.The statement needs formal approval by the plenary.

- The social partners also agreed to consider the social implications of the 3rd liberalisation package;

- A full discussion took place on demographic change and competencies. The workgroup decided to propose to the plenary to adopt draft terms of reference and to submit a project proposal to the European Commission to work in a more detailed way on this issue.

- Other discussions took place on the work programme, the calendar of meetings, reports of the work of the secretariats. A proposal of the trade unions to consider endorsement of the violence at work agreement of the interprofessional dialogue (ETUC-Businees Europe etc) Employers requested more time for internal reflection.