South Eastern Europe signs Energy Accord with European Commission"A positive sign if social aspects taken seriously" says EPSU boss

PRESS COMMUNICATION, 18 October 2007

(Vienna ,18 October) Energy and Social Affairs Ministers from South East Europe today signed an agreement with the European Commission to put social issues at the heart of the South East Europe energy community. The agreement, or memorandum of understanding, was signed in Vienna (home of the Energy Community Secretariat) today by Ministers from across the Balkan states, and by European Commissioner for Energy, Andris Piebalgs.

EPSU deputy General Secretary Jan Willem Goudriaan stated that “EPSU, and particularly south east Europe's energy workers, welcome this deal, as long as it is implemented in full, and not on a piecemeal basis”. He added that; “one key provision is the establishment of the Social Forum as part of the deal. This allows Trade Unions, Employers' organisations and Government to discuss the many pressing energy issues, in a constructive setting”. In summary he stated that the deal was; “A positive sign if the social aspects are taken seriously”.

This Memorandum is the result of the pressure of the unions, EPSU and the European Parliament. It is to remedy the lack of a social dimension in the European Energy Community of South East Europe. Many of the demands of the trade unions are met but concerns remain:

- On the process of consultation - not all trade unions have been consulted by the governments on the Memorandum. ESPU requests the Commission to investigate this process;

- EPSU wants a clear time table to make the MoU legally binding as supported by the European parliament and the European Commissioner for Energy;

- The MoU does not address the role of the International Financial Institutions and how they shape energy reform. Consultation on their policies is also needed;

- Democratic control over decisions of the Ministerial Council is still absent. EPSU supports the European Parliament's demand to change this;

- The proposed Social Forum (with representatives of employers, unions and governments) needs to meet urgently. The proposed national social action plans need also to be ready by then;

- EPSU repeats the call for a Moratorium on Privatisation. Privatisation of essential services should be an issue of broad public debate. All institutions allowing for democratic control and accountability will need to be established and social package to protect workers and users is to be in place.

For further information on the EPSU position on the Memorandum of Understanding please go here: www.epsu.org/a/2460

For more information, please contact Jan Willem Goudriaan or EPSU Press Officer Brian Synnott, + 32 2 2501080 or by email [email protected]

“EPSU is the European Federation of Public Service Unions. It is the largest federation of the ETUC and comprises 8 million public service workers from over 200 Public Service Unions in 37 countries. We organise workers in health and social services, local and national administration, energy, water and waste. We are the recognised European social partner organisation in each of these sectors. EPSU is committed to building a European Union that promotes democratically accountable public services of the highest quality, within and beyond its borders.