CESI’s Trade Council ‘Post & Telecoms’ critical of sector liberalisation and working conditions for older workers

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On May 22, CESI's Trade Council* 'Post & Telecoms' (P&T) convened in Königswinter (Germany). Critical position papers were adopted on '20 years after the privatisation of the postal market' and 'Adjusting the P&T sector labour market to demographic ageing'.

CESI deeply concerned by new German wage unity law

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During its meeting in Königswinter (Germany), CESI's Post & Telecommunications Trade Council adopted a reaction on behalf of CESI regarding today's adoption by the German Bundestag of a new wage unity law (Tarifeinheitsgesetz).

‘Better’ regulation package: Autonomy for the social dialogue at risk

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Earlier this week, the European Commission published its 'Better regulation package'. Reviewing the press and media coverage reveals the widespread concerns about the likely shift from political decision-making to 'expert' influence in European policy making as a result of this package. This criticism stretches from progressive MEPs to basically all social and environmental stakeholders. The only ones really happy are industry and business. While CESI agrees with many of the concerns that were raised in the debate on package, it deplores the lack of attention given to the autonomy for social dialogue that the package puts at risk.

CESI explains its work on youth employment challenges to Romanian ‘Pro Juvenes’ project delegation

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Yesterday, CESI hosted a visit of a delegation of the Romanian ESF-funded project 'Pro Juvenes – Transnational Partnership for an Inclusive Labour Market for Youth'. During the meeting, which aimed to explore best practices in the field of youth employment initiatives, CESI General Secretariat staff explained its work on the challenges that young people face in Europe today.

Visit to the Belgian parliament: EU Trade Commissioner issues further signals to protect public services in TTIP

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Yesterday, in a speech to the Belgian national parliament, EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström confirmed past statements of hers that signal a comprehensive protection of public services under TTIP. CESI welcomes such commitments, believing that the quality of public services in Europe must not experience a race to the bottom due to an unnecessary exposure to liberalisation and market forces.

European Semester’s 2015 Country-specific recommendations released: Scrutiny forthcoming

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Today, the European Commission issued the European Semester's 2015 country specific recommendations (CSRs). CESI, as part of its work in the European Semester Alliance, will now carefully check whether the Commission's advocacy of a "stronger" and more "streamlined" European Semester carries weight and can be welcomed.

CESI hosts visit to the EU for its member DBwV (German Armed Forces Association)

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Last week, CESI together with the Karl-Theodor-Molinari Foundation hosted a two-day visit to the EU for the federal and regional executive boards of one of its members, the DBwV (German Armed Forces Association)*. With discussion rounds with experts at the CESI premises and meetings at the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers, the visit aimed to enhance the strategic capacity of the DBwV to represent its interests -in cooperation with CESI- to the EU.

IG Public services conference: CESI hopes for continued Commission support to protect public services in TiSA

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During yesterday's inaugural conference of the European Parliament's Intergroup 'Common goods and public services', the European Commission tried to reassure that the protection of public services in Europe will be dealt with with utmost caution during TiSA negotiations. CESI welcomes this and hopes that previously made statements in this direction by the European Commission will not be reversed or watered down.

CESI@noon: Radicalisation must be prevented through improved social inclusion at all levels, experts say

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Today, CESI hosted another edition of its lunchtime event series 'CESI@noon'. This time experts discussed with the audience about how public services in Europe may be enabled to better prevent and counter radicalisation among the citizenry - a topic that CESI's Trade Council 'Security' has worked on in depth in the recent past.* With more than 120 participants registered for the event, the relevance that not only CESI but also policy makers, the organised civil society and citizens attach to addressing the recent spread of radicalisation in European societies was more than obvious.