Brussels,
In spite of the opposition of numerous organisations and european social actors, and in spite of the publication of a white paper on services of general interest, SIG, by the European Commission which underlines that : “The provision of high quality, accessible and affordable services of general interest meeting the needs of consumers and enterprises is therefore an important element contributing to reach the strategic goal of the Union” and that “for the citizens of the Union, this access is an essential component of European citizenship and necessary in order to allow them to fully enjoy their fundamental rights”, the draft framework directive on services, also called the “Bolkenstein Directive”, will be debated by the European Parliament’s plenary on February 14, with the vote scheduled for February 16.
This directive on free movements of services between the Members States, will be approuved even though a directive on services of general interest should have, beforehand, consitute one of the framework of reference for the internal market in services. It should, at least, take into account the recommandations of the white paper and the resolution of the European Parliament (January 24, 2004).
Concerning the content, it is properly unacceptable that the services of general interest are not excluded from the scope of this directive, and more particularly the social services of general interest, SSGI. It is intolerable that the application of the “country of origin” principle constitue a threat for the national labour codes collective agreements.
Europe could not be built trough a regression of rights. Services of general interest are part of these rights, labour rights are other ones, and the Services Directive, put to the European Parliament’s vote, does not guarantee these rights.
The European Union should be a social Europe beyond a Europe focused on markets. It must be factor of social progress, an opportunity for all its residents. The rights acquired by the residents of each Member State should be safeguarded and be profitable to all of those who came to work and live in this country. Europe must be settled on a base of universal and indivisible basic rights, with for objetif that the rights of higher level noted in one of the European Union’s Member States can profit with all.
The services directive goes in another direction. It calls into question the right of every resident in the European Union to profit from high quality services of general interest, it threats the salaried workers rights as well. Thus the European Association for Human Rights supports the demonstrations organized, and particularly those planned on February 11 and 14 in Strasbourg.
Contact :
Dan Van Raemdonck, +32 (0) 2209 63 84 < fidh_ae yahoo.fr >
Links :
White paper on services of general interest
European Parliament’s resolution (January 24, 2004)
Directive on services of general interest
Association Européenne pour la Défense des Droits de l’Homme (AEDH)
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