Romain Wolff at the DBwV General Assembly
At the re-election of André Wüstner, the President of CESI highlighted the strong CESI–DBwV partnership and stressed that Europe must strengthen its defence capabilities without undermining social standards or the welfare state.
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CESI Trade council ‘Security’ deliberates on needs of workers in the security sector
On Wednesday this week, CESI’s Trade council ‘Security’ convened for its annual meeting in Brussels. The Trade council, CESI’s main members’ forum to discuss challenges in EU internal security policy, deliberated on several challenges related to the needs of employees in the security sector.
CESI Trade council ‘Justice’ addresses working conditions & labour rights in the justice sector
Yesterday, CESI’s Trade council ‘Justice’ held its annual meeting. This year, CESI’s principal members’ forum to discuss developments in EU justice policy addressed several important challenges related to working conditions and labour rights in the justice sector.
Social rights pillar communication: Good objectives – but open questions on the implementation side
Today, the European Commission published a communication on a preliminary outline of the European pillar of social rights. CESI’s Secretary General Klaus Heeger welcomes many of the objectives laid out in the communication but stresses that many questions remain open on how they will be implemented effectively .
CESI holds Erasmus+ seminar on youth participation in trade unions
On March 3-4, CESI held a members’ seminar on ‘Youth and the unions: an example of participation in democratic life’. The meeting, which brought together 35 young trade unionists from CESI member organisations in Brussels, concluded in the European Parliament with a presentation of recommendations for an enhanced participation of young people in civic processes and trade unionism, hosted by MEP Monika Vana (Greens/EFA).
CESI participates in social partner hearing on work-life balance legislation
Yesterday, the European Commission held a dedicated hearing with social partners on forthcoming measures in matters of its recently published Roadmap on work-life balance. CESI also participated in this hearing.
CESI and EPC hold expert workshop on social investments
Today, CESI together with the European Policy Centre (EPC) held an expert workshop on ‘How to integrate the concept of social investment in the macro-economic and fiscal governance instruments of the EU?’. This was the second meeting of its kind following an initial workshop on ‘Measuring the efficiency and effectiveness of social investment policies and designing the right policy mix’ on October 9 2015.
New settlement for the UK: A bad day for the EU
The 28 heads of state and government of the EU Member States have agreed on a new settlement for the UK within the EU. What has been decided unanimously actually puts at risk two of the founding pillars of the EU: the principles of non-discrimination and the free movement of labour, deplores CESI Secretary General Klaus Heeger.
Full house at CESI-Eurodiaconia parliamentary breakfast on fair labour mobility
Yesterday, CESI in cooperation with Eurodiaconia held a breakfast meeting in the European Parliament, hosted by MEP Jean Lambert, on fair labour mobility in the EU. With the participation of MEPs from four parliamentary groups, the European Commission's Director for labour mobility and a research expert from the EU Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA), the meeting saw a full house in a 60-seat European Parliament members' salon.
European Semester Alliance to hold parliamentary hearing on March 1 on the functioning of the European Semester
On March 1, the European Semester Alliance will hold a hearing in the European Parliament on 'The Annual Growth Survey (AGS) behind, the Semester ahead: What proposals to make Europe 2020 more social, democratic and sustainable?'. As a member of the Semester Alliance, CESI will also speak at the hearing. Registration is still possible until February 23.
Europe Academy 2015 project on information & consultation of workers: Synthesis report published
The synthesis report of the 2015 project of CESI's Europe Academy on 'Better anticipate change and restructuring in public administrations in Europe: The role of information and consultation of workers' is now available on CESI's website.
CESI participates in CONFSAL conference on education for professional development
On 29 January, 2016, CESI’s Italian member organisation CONFSAL held a high level conference in Rome on the importance of a quality education for the cultural, personal and professional development of young people. CESI Secretary General Klaus Heeger spoke for CESI at the conference.
CESI SOC/FEMM-Commissions discuss the future direction of EU employment and gender equality policies
Today, CESI's Commissions on Employment and Social Affairs Commission (SOC) and Women's Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM) convened for their first meeting of the year in Brussels. As CESI's most important members' committees for deliberation and positioning on horizontal aspects of EU employment, gender equality and social policy, the meetings saw orientation debates on the major topics that will be worked on during 2016.
CESI to host Erasmus+ seminar on civic engagement of young persons in trade unions
On March 3-4, CESI will host a seminar on ‘Youth and the unions: An example of participation in democratic life’.
A positive signal: European Parliament calls for an exclusion of public services from TiSA and other future trade agreements
Yesterday, the European Parliament's plenary adopted its own-initiative report on recommendations to the European Commission on the negotiations for the Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA). The report calls to exclude public services from the agreement. CESI welcomes the report and hopes that the Commission will follow the recommendations of the European Parliament.
New Anti-tax avoidance package: A step in the right direction but also only just a start
Today, the European Commission released its Anti-Tax Avoidance Package. It is part of the Commission's ambitious agenda for fairer, simpler and more effective corporate taxation in the EU and follows the final OECD’s 2015 Base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS) package for a reform of the international tax system to tackle tax avoidance. According to CESI, the package is a step ion right direction but can also only be a start for more action to come.
Forthcoming on February 18: Parliamentary breakfast event on fair labour mobility
On February 18, CESI in cooperation with Eurodiaconia will hold a breakfast meeting on fair labour mobility in the European Parliament. Registration for the event, which will be hosted by MEP Jean Lambert (Greens/EFA, UK), is open until February 10.
CESI and EU sectoral social dialogue committee on central government administrations open tender procedure on study on health & safety in central government administrations
The European Social Dialogue Committee in Central Government Administrations (SDC CGA), comprising CESI and the Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU) for the employees and the European Public Administration Employers (EUPAE) for the employers, has opened a tender procedure for a guide and study on psychosocial risks in central government administrations. The deadline for participation in the procedure is February 4.
CESI Europe Academy 2016 on health and safety in the public sector – Open call to tender for a supporting study
The topic of the project of the CESI Europe Academy (CESI's internal training and capacity building center) for 2016 has been formally set to "Health and Safety at Work in the Public Sector in Europe: New Challenges". To inform the project, CESI has opened a call to tender for the production of an accompanying research and study paper. The deadline for participation in the tender procedure is February 5 2016.
Upcoming on October 19: CESI@noon event with Jean Asselborn on “Public sector workers in Europe facing the new challenges of migration”
October 19 will see the next edition of CESI's event series 'CESI@noon' with a lunchtime panel debate on a highly topical subject: Public sector workers in Europe facing the challenges of migration. Registration is now possible via the CESI webpage.
Parliament working document calls to exclude public services from TiSA
After having concluded its file on recommendations for the European Commission on the negotiations for TTIP, the European Parliament has today started working on an analogue file on recommendations on the negotiations for TiSA. As a European trade union confederation representing several million public sector workers, CESI welcomes that a first working document calls to exclude public services from the trade agreement and hence rule out TiSA-induced destructive liberalisation forces for the sector.
CESI Youth selected as partner of the European Youth Forum for the European Youth Event 2016
Yesterday, the European Youth Forum announced the selection of CESI's youth organisation, the CESI Youth, as one of its YO!Fest partners at the next European Youth Event (EYE), which will take place on May 20-21 2016. It is the second time that the CESI Youth has been selected.
European Semester Alliance calls on President Juncker to bring Europe 2020 back on track
Yesterday, the European Semester Alliance, a stakeholder group where CESI is a member, addressed a letter to European Commission President Juncker to express its concerns about the direction his Commission has taken when it adopted the Country-specific recommendations for 2015. In this context, the letter urges him “to address this and turn the 2016 AGS into a first step towards a European Semester that is democratic, social, sustainable and inclusive“. “Using the European Semester purely as an instrument to ensure macro-economic and monetary stability will not help you bring the EU closer to its citizens”, the letter adds.
Eurofound 2014 report on collectively agreed wages: Central administration wage freezes and lack of social partner involvement in wage setting still widespread
In its recently issued 2014 report on developments in collectively agreed pay in EU Member States, the EU agency Eurofound found that central administration employee wages are still frozen in many EU Member States and that in others social partners are not (yet) involved in wage setting. Overall, from a trade union perspective, the report highlights encouraging trends as well as worrying developments.
EU Court of Justice: Travelling time to and back from work to be considered working time
In a judgment issued last week, the Court of Justice of the EU ruled that the journeys made by workers without fixed or habitual place of work between their homes and the first and last customer of the day constitute working time. This brings concrete improvements for many mobile workers - especially in the care sector.
Consultation on corporate tax transparency: Extended country-by-country reporting and disclosure of tax rulings necessary
Yesterday, CESI submitted its answer to a public consultation on increased corporate tax transparency, launched by the European Commission last June together with an action plan for fair and efficient corporate taxation in the EU. The consultation is to gather feedback on whether companies should have to publicly disclose more tax information, including through country-by-country reporting (CBCR). CESI believes so.
New Commission proposals to manage the refugee crisis: Public sector and local administration workers need EU support
Today, the European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker held a much-awaited speech in the European Parliament on the state of the union and announced new plans to manage the EU's ongoing refugee and migration challenge more successfully. He proposed both an emergency and a permanent common crisis relocation mechanism for refugees. As a trade union confederation representing numerous public sector workers who are working with and receiving refugees on a regular basis, CESI recalls that the public services in Europe's regions, towns and municipalities need (more) help to be able to take in refugees with dignity - including from the EU.
For youth employment and a better prevention of radicalisation: Commission proposes to adjust ET2020 priorities
Last week, the European Commission issued its draft 2015 joint Commission-Council report on the implementation of the Strategic framework for European cooperation in education and training (ET2020). The document, which still needs approval by the Council, includes readjustment proposals for ET2020 to two of the EU's major challenges: the need to further bring down youth unemployment and the necessity to better prevent radicalisation. The CESI Youth and CESI's Trade Council 'Education, Training and Research' attach great importance to the report.
Mass migration: Europe’s biggest challenge
To provide for humane and integrative immigration into Europe has always been a tremendous challenge for the EU member states in the past decades. But with the spread of crisis in the Middle-East and Northern Africa over the last years, and with immigration reaching unprecedented and unimaginable heights, these challenges have become almost insurmountable.
CESI concerned about Greek privatisation measures
One month after the euro summit and the political agreement reached on 13 July, a new financial assistance agreement mobilising up to €86 billion for Greece has been reached on 14 August. Yesterday, the European Commission also signed with Greece a new agreement for a new stability support programme. All these agreements include measures, including labour market and privatisation reforms that Greece needs to fulfil under the control of the European institutions.
After the withdrawal of the maternity leave proposal: Commission publishes roadmap on work-life balance for those with dependants
Last month, after continued blockades by the Council, the European Commission withdrew its proposal on a revised maternity leave directive from 2008. Today, it presented a roadmap on a new follow-up initiative. The roadmap, themed 'A new start to address the challenges of work-life balance faced by working families', sets out possible ways forward not specifically for maternity leave but more generally for a better work-life balance faced by working families and women and men with dependants. The possible options to move ahead, as set out in the roadmap, include both legislative and non-legislative options. Kirsten Lühmann, President of CESI's Women's Rights and Gender Equality Commission, stresses that concrete proposals that will flow from this roadmap must be ambitious and not lack teeth.
TTIP, occupational pensions & the Juncker Plan: CESI speaks to MEP Thomas Mann
Just in time before the Brussels summer recess, CESI spoke to MEP Thomas Mann about recent developments in EU employment and social affairs - most notably in relation to the current revision of occupational pension rules in the EU, the TTIP's likely social impacts and the potential of the Juncker investment plan to create jobs. This interview continues the 'CESI speaks to ...'-series on insights into EU employment and social affairs hot topics. Thomas Mann is one of the most experienced EU politicians in the field of employment and social affairs. As a German EPP affiliate, he has been a member of the European Parliament and its Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL) since 1994. Between 2004 and 2014, he was also Vice-chair of the EMPL Committee and has been a substitute member in the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON) since the late 1990s.
European Commission opens consultation on EU social security coordination
Last week, the European Commission opened a public consultation on the EU's social security coordination legislation. CESI is currently running an internal consultation among its members with a view to submitting a joint CESI response.
Commission consultation: CESI joins calls for a renewed & ambitious EU gender equality strategy
Today is the last day to submit an answer to the European Commission's public consultation on the future of equality between women and men in the EU. CESI has sent its response already, highlighting the need for a strong and ambitious successor to the 2010-2015 EU gender equality strategy.
Greece after the euro summit: Uncertainty ahead for Greece’s public services and workers
At a euro summit yesterday, the heads of state or government of the eurozone member states decided on a set of measures that Greece needs to fulfill in order to potentially qualify for an ESM support programme and thus stay in the eurozone. The measures mean uncertainty with regards to the future of the Greek public services as well as labour rights and working conditions of private and public sector employees.
CESI participates in the Commission’s advisory Platform for tax good governance
Today, the European Commission's advisory Platform for tax good governance held its 7th meeting. As a member of the platform, CESI participated in this meeting, which featured in particular debate with Heinz Zourek (chief of the Commission's DG TAXUD and chair of the platform) on the Commission's recently issued Tax Transparency Package and its Action Plan on Corporate Taxation published last month.
Good news: European Parliament calls to exclude public services from TTIP
Today, the European Parliament plenary adopted its long-awaited report on recommendations to the Commission on the TTIP negotiations. The final report explicitly calls to exclude public services from an agreement with the USA. CESI, which represents numerous national trade unions from different fields of the public sector, very much welcomes the report: It marks a further step in CESI's successful campaign to keep the public services out of TTIP and thereby ensure that quality services of general interest can be provided in Europe in the absence of TTIP-induced harmful liberalisation and privatisation pressures.
‘CESI Youth’-Representative Matthäus Fandrejewski honoured by the German Federal President
In June, Matthäus Fandrejewski - the lead representative of CESI's youth organisation, the CESI Youth - was honoured by the German Federal President Joachim Gauck for his outstanding voluntary work for the CESI Youth and other organisations and institutions. CESI says: "Congratulations, Matthäus, you deserve this recognition!"
July 2015: Time to make economic & monetary governance fair & socially just in Greece and beyond
Commentary by CESI Secretary General Klaus Heeger. In the context of the Greek crisis showdown and recent broader political developments in Europe, Klaus Heeger recalls that time has come to finally make monetary policy and economic governance fair and socially just. Not only with regards to Greece, but Europe at large.
Withdrawal of Maternity leave proposal: Disappointing for women & families, tragic for social Europe
Today, the European Commission withdrew its legislative proposal for a revised maternity leave directive. For CESI, which during the past months fought hard against a withdrawal, this is not only a disappointing sign for all young and prospective mothers. It is also a huge missed opportunity for the EU to show that it is also about making actual improvements to the life of its citizens. CESI now eagerly awaits a new initiative by the Commission.
CESI responds to consultation on workers’ information & consultation rights: How to give public administration staff full rights
Today, CESI submitted its response to the European Commission’s first-phase social partner consultation on a consolidation of the EU directives on information and consultation of workers. As a European umbrella organisation representing numerous national public administration trade unions, this consultation is of particular importance to CESI.
CESI Europe Academy 2015: Action needed to improve workers’ rights in public administrations!
On June 25-26, more than 150 participants from CESI's various member organisations gathered in Dublin for the 2015 edition of CESI's Europe Academy, this time themed 'Better anticipate changes and restructuring in public administrations in Europe: the role played by the information and consultation of workers'. During the two-day symposium, expert speakers of various backgrounds discussed why and how restructuring processes in public administrations need to take better account of the employees' perspectives. The conference took place timely against the backdrop of current work both in the European Commission and CESI at EU social partner level to create an EU-wide right to information & consultation of central administration workers, especially in restructuring processes.
International Public Services Day: Time to recall the valuable role public servants play in making improvements in society
Today, June 23, is International Public Services Day. This year, in Europe, the day takes place - once again - in a time of austerity and continued and widespread cuts in public administrations' budgets and public servants. In this context, CESI, as a European trade union federation representing several million public sector workers, believes that it is time to recall the valuable role public sector workers play in making improvements in society.
EU 2020 Strategy is further off-track to deliver inclusive, sustainable, equal and social EU, writes EU Semester Alliance to EU Council
The EU Alliance for a democratic, social and sustainable European Semester -also called ‘Semester Alliance-’ addressed a letter yesterday to Heads of States and top EU officials ahead of the EU Council next 25 & 26 June on the endorsement of the 2015 Country-Specific Recommendations (CSRs). The Semester Alliance highlights that the EU has failed to deliver an inclusive recovery strategy and that immediate action is needed to bring Europe 2020 back on track with all its initial goals.
EMI blog on the European Year for Development (EYD) 2015: CESI contribution on fair taxation for development available
In the context of its membership at the European Movement International (EMI), CESI has contributed to the EMI blog on the European Year for Development (EYD) 2015 with an article on fair taxation for development, a topic very close to its heart.
European Commission Corporate Taxation Action Plan: Long-awaited but disappointing for tax collectors and the citizen-taxpayers
Today, the European Commission published its long-awaited roadmap for fairer corporate taxation in Europe. Unfortunately, CESI's hopes that the Commission would publish an action plan that is worthy of its name was to a large extent disappointed. Less procrastination is required with regards to the introduction of a common corporate consolidated tax base (CCCTB) and concrete proposals for an encompassing country-by-country reporting system are needed to enable tax administrations to effectively collect all due corporate taxes. Otherwise, multinationals will continue to make profits at the expense of the citizen-taxpayers; tax injustice would remain.
Board meeting: CESI continues to grow – Welcome, SPELC and CNV-Connectief!
Today, the CESI Board unanimously endorsed applications for membership by CNV-Connectief, a major Dutch trade union representing teachers, civil servants and healthcare personnel and SPELC, a French teachers' trade union. This extends CESI’s representativeness by almost 150,000 individual members. Welcome, CNV-Connectief and SPELC!
European Parliament joins CESI’s and social stakeholders’ calls for a renewed EU gender equality strategy
On Tuesday this week, the European Parliament adopted a resolution that calls for an ambitious action plan to succeed the EU gender equality strategy 2010-2015. Along with other social stakeholders, CESI welcomes this resolution, which, even if non-binding, further increases the pressure on the European Commission to come forward with a powerful communication on a renewed EU gender equality strategy after the summer.
College orientation debate on employment challenges: Good words welcome, but what counts is action
Yesterday [June 9], the European Commission's college of commissioners held an orientation debate to establish how the EU can best address existing employment challenges in Europe. CESI's welcomes this orientation debate whole-heatedly, believing that a fundamental debate to kick-start major EU action on quality employment has been overdue in crisis-ridden Europe. At the same time, CESI highlights the importance of having this debate followed by concrete and substantial policy proposals that are worked out together with the social partners and boost quality employment as much as the EU competences in the field of employment and social affairs allow.
Lühmann: Don’t give up on maternity leave reform
In the context of the announcement by the European Commission that it will withdraw its maternity leave directive proposal if no progress is made on the file in negotiations between the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers by this summer, the President of CESI's Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Commission (FEMM), Kirsten Lühmann, today called on the EU Member State governments to stop their blockade of the file in the Council of Ministers and finally start negotiating with the European Parliament.