(Brussels 29 October 2013) A group of angry citizens challenged the President of the European Commission J.M Barroso on his pro-business policies, interrupting his speech. He was speaking at a Commission sponsored event For a Business-Friendly Public Administration today. As European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU) we are sympathetic as public administrations should serve the people. It is good news that citizens engage with Europe, demand People's friendly public administrations and expose how the Commission uses public funds to promote a pro-business agenda over a citizen one.
The above-mentioned event assumes current public administrations are not 'business-friendly' enough. EPSU, representing workers in public administrations and many other public services, their families and communities, underlines that administrations are too friendly for business. We want citizens friendly public administration which:
- Can enforce fair and progressive taxation with more tax inspectors that crack down on large complex cases of corporate tax fraud or cases of avoidance of paying taxes by the wealthy .
- See more front-line tax officers that can support and advise small businesses and citizens,
- Reinforce labour inspectorates that go after those employers that violate safety rules. Every year thousands of workers are injured and many killed. Undeclared work, the violation of information and consultation and collective bargaining rights are problems we expect the Commission to raise with business, not attacking health and safety protection for hairdressers and other workers.
- Assist the unemployed to find a job or assist with training and education.
- Ensure product safety for consumers and the enforcement of their right to know what they eat for which we need more veterinary checks and better coordination of the regional, national and European level. As the recent meat scandals demonstrate many business are not to be trusted with our health.
Jan Willem Goudriaan, EPSU Deputy General Secretary, stated "And what is next: Business friendly workers, Corporate loving consumers, the environment enhanced for business? Corporations are capturing the EU institutions as is shown by the continued dominance of Commission expert groups by business " and he added "The Commission's obsession with cutting red tape favours none other then business as for example the lack of administrative checks allows exploitation of workers such as with the absence of clear enforcement of the posted workers directive."
EPSU research shows how the cuts in budgets of public administrations effect environmental protection agencies, labour inspectorates, tax administrations and so on. Also the ILO has warned for the long term impact of cuts in public spending and public administration. The agenda of austerity, structural reform and deregulation benefits corporate interests.
To see the video of the action : http://youtu.be/t3c6mfAZPjI
For more information contact, Pablo Sanchez, psanchez 00 32 (0) 474 62 66 33
For the European Commission conference: http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/policies/industrial-competitiveness/monitoring-member-states/improving-public-administration/high-level-conference/index_en.htm
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