The Imperative for Affordable Housing Solutions in the EU

A hybrid (online & in Brussels) lunchtime CESI@noon

Tuesday, March 26th 2024, 12:00-14:00

light lunch included

in English language

Registration here

In recent years, the European Union (EU) has grappled with a growing challenge that affects individuals, families, and communities across its member states – the pressing need for affordable housing solutions. As urbanization continues, inflation continues to be high and housing costs soar, the call for accessible and reasonably priced housing has become increasingly urgent. In its 2023 October opening address to the conference on ‘Decent Housing for All’, the Commissioner Schmit for Jobs and Social Rights correctly noted that ”house purchase prices in the EU increased by 37% between 2010 and 2021 and rents went up by 17%, and in certain areas, households pay more than 40% of their income for housing costs. CESI Youth invites you to a hybrid lunchtime CESI@noon event to discuss the rising housing costs and related economic disparities and social consequences for vulnerable groups, including young adults, and possible EU responses to this crisis such as a right to decent and affordable housing, a strong political engagement on the matter and more adequate financial support by public authorities. The main topics to be addressed relate to:

• Rising Housing Costs:

One of the primary factors driving the need for affordable housing in the EU is the steep rise in housing costs. Major metropolitan areas, in particular, have witnessed a surge in property prices and rental rates, making it difficult for a significant portion of the population to secure housing that fits within their budget. This trend exacerbates social and economic inequalities, affecting the most vulnerable, as housing costs become a barrier to stable living conditions for many.

• Economic Disparities:

Economic disparities within and between EU member states play a crucial role in the housing crisis. Lower-income households, in particular, face significant challenges in finding affordable housing that meets their needs. This issue not only impacts individuals but also has broader societal implications, as stable housing is fundamental to overall well-being and economic participation.

• Social Consequences:

The lack of affordable housing can have far-reaching social consequences. Families may be forced to live in substandard conditions with youngsters moving back to live with their elders, leading to adverse effects on health, education, and overall quality of life. Moreover, homelessness rates may rise, placing additional strain on social services and public resources. Provisional agenda #SocialEurope #EU2030 12:00 Welcome and light lunch 12:30 Welcome address & introductionsMatthäus Fandrejewski, dbb Jugend and CESI Youth Representative 12:40 Alice Pitinni, Research Director at Housing Europe 12:50 Sergio Perez,FEANTSA - the European Federation of National Organisations Working with the Homeless 13:00 Sarah Coupechoux, Abbe Pierre Foundation 13:10 Hans Dubois, Eurofound 13:20 Ruth Paserman, European Commission 13:30 Kim van Sparrentak, member of the European Parliament, Greens/EFA 13:35 Discussion with participants The most vulnerable according to the European Parliament 2019/2187(INI) report on ‘Decent and affordable housing for all’: the working poor, women, young people, in particular young unemployed persons, single parents, large families, the elderly, especially those living alone, LGBTIQ persons, migrants, refugees, persons with disabilities, people with physical or psychiatric illnesses, and people from marginalized communities, including Roma.

On March 11th and 12th, CESI paid tribute to the work and commitment of European firefighters. In cooperation with the Greek firefighters´ union EPAYPS, firefighters from Germany, France, The Netherlands and Greece met in Athens.

On the first day, the delegates visited the Hellenic Fire Campus located at the prestigious Stavros Niarchos Foundation premises in Nea Makri, Attica. This gave a firsthand insights into the state-of-the-art facilities and training programs dedicated to advancing European firefighting techniques and preparedness.

A visit at the National Coordination Center for Operations and Crisis Management within the Greek Ministry for Climate Crisis and Civil Protection followed. Participants were shown the advanced systems and protocols used to coordinate emergency responses.

The meeting with Hellenic Fire Service Chief General Theodoros Vagias provided an opportunity to discuss new technologies and enhanced collaboration avenues to further strengthen firefighting capabilities.

CESI Secretary General Klaus Heeger said: “To tackle incredibly challenging tasks, the EU creates immense opportunities for firefighters to connect, collaborate and support each other.”

The second day was dedicated to standardising procedures and norms under the EU Civil Protection Mechanisms and to improving working conditions for firefighters in all Member States.

Antonis Koukouzas, Fire Officer at EPAYPS, set the tone for a day of insightful exchanges among firefighters. The biggest challenge for firefighters in Greece remains understaffing and ageing (about 3000 in total with an average age of 49.2 years). Furthermore, mental and physical health protection is not up to EU standards.

Deputy-Director General Hans Das and Claire Kowalewsky, from the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations Directorate (DG ECHO), shared experiences and future improvements in EU civil protection efforts. The importance of asking for help when faced with disasters was emphasiwed. A changing risk landscape in Europe leads to an increased frequency and intensity of natural disasters, pandemics, hybrid threats, and critical infrastructure disruptions. An open dialogue with firefighters is of huge importance to prepare for future challenges.

Aynur Polat and Ad Baselier, representing the Dutch CNV-Connectief union delegation of firefighters, brought to attention the situation in The Netherlands. While the number of wildfires and flooding is increasing, Dutch firefighters and disaster protection forces are facing understaffing and late retirement ages. This makes the profession more and more difficult and less and less attractive. Concretely, CNV-Connectief is demanding that Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and cancer-related diseases are recognised as occupational diseases and that workers are better protected in case of occupational disability.

Raluca Radescu, Policy Officer at CESI, referred to a question for oral answer addressed to the European Commission by the European Parliament on firefighters’ working conditions. In the debate, the urgent need for improvement was highlighted by all stakeholders.

Following this, the EU prepositioning program led by the Greek firefighter Vasilis Bikas was presented. The major importance of ‘prepositioning’ to coordinate and to quickly assist those affected by forest wildfires was underscored. The need to adopt good practices and strengthen the relationship between member states was equally highlighted.

The round-table session with the delegates from other European trade unions of firefighters confirmed the need for more investments and the worrisome toxic chemicals exposure of firefighters to smoke chemicals, contaminated PPE, and off-gassing.

This concern was raised by representatives of CNV-Connectief and Frédéric Monchy, representing French SNSPP-PATS organisation of firefighters, and confirmed the need for the European Commission to complement the work on the asbestos directive and to extend its scope for substances the firefighters and exposed to.

Alain Laratta from the French firefighting union Avenir Secours emphasised the challenges faced by firefighters in Europe and the need for continued investment in civil defense mechanisms.

Valentino Tagliaferro (Komba Germany) discussed the current challenges faced by firefighters in their countries and shared best practices for overcoming them.

Tilemachos Dafnis, Policy Advisor at CESI, shed light on CESI’s SYNCRISIS capacity building project, exploring how climate change affects the European workforce, particularly firefighters, and proposed strategies for adaptation.

The event culminated in a discussion on key demands for improving firefighters’ working conditions and safety. Attendees united in adopting a Firefighters’ Manifesto, outlining essential measures for supporting and empowering firefighters across the EU.

Find pictures from the event here!

***

CESI Firefighters’ Days bring together firefighters and emergency responders from Europe to campaign for their pivotal role in ensuring public safety and disaster response, for the improvement of their capabilities and not least working conditions. This year’s event in Athens added an extra layer of support for Greek firefighters following the devastating fires in 2018 and 2023.

On January 23, CESI took a significant step towards addressing the healthcare workforce crisis in Europe by co-organising a high-level meeting in the European Parliament focused on “Better Working Conditions for Health Care Professionals.” This pivotal gathering laid the groundwork for CESI’s comprehensive manifesto, released in January 2024, which aims to tackle the growing concern of staff shortages and improve healthcare service delivery across Europe through enhanced employment conditions.

The manifesto, developed as a follow-up to the meeting, outlines a series of general recommendations designed to address the root causes of these shortages. These proposals reflect the common trends and challenges faced by healthcare systems across different European countries, acknowledging that the severity and specifics of these challenges vary from one nation to another.

Key strategies highlighted in the manifesto include ensuring competitive compensation for healthcare workers, reducing their work intensity, promoting a better work-life balance, and guaranteeing safe working environments. Furthermore, the document calls for investments in medical education, modern healthcare facilities, and equipment, alongside the implementation of fair patient-staff ratios to optimise healthcare delivery.

By putting forward these recommendations, CESI not only seeks to directly improve the working conditions of healthcare professionals but also aims to create a more sustainable, efficient, and attractive healthcare sector throughout Europe.

Find the full Manifesto here: 2024_CESI_SAN_Manifesto_EN_final

The vote on a compromise text negotiated by the Belgian Council Presidency together with representatives from the European Parliament, took place during a Council meeting of national employment minsiters yesterday in Brussels. In what is considered a historic vote, big players Germany and France were for the first time isolated and outvoted by the other 25 Member States. The European Parliament plenary still has to formally approve of the text too, which is scheduled for April 22.

CESI Secretary General Klaus Heeger said: “As independent trade unions, we salute the forthcoming EU directive on fair working conditions in the platform economy. We thank in particular the last Spanish and current Belgian Presidency for their tireless efforts to conclude a deal before the EU elections in June, and to push this through even against resistance from Germany and France. This success was both uncertain and crucial, because we do not know which political majorities will govern the European Parliament afterwards.”

He added: “As independent trade unions, we have campaigned for several years for this new directive. As stakeholders we have contributed our share to keep pressure high on politics to deliver. Many people economically active in the platform economy are independent on paper but de facto dependent workers, and in many cases exploited. The new directive could put an end to the worst forms of abuse.”

Klaus Heeger concluded: “Two major new rules stand out: First, a presumption of employment coupled with a reversal of the burden of proof. In the future, many platforms will have to prove that their employees are in fact no employees. This is a game changer and re-balances the power relationship from platforms at least to a certain extent back towards workers. As employees, there will be better wages, occupational health and safety and social protection for many platform workers. Second, there will be for the first time basic rules on algorithmic management in platforms, which can make sure that workers are for instance not fired purely as a result of algorithmic managed and automised decision making, without a human reviewing such decisions for appropriateness.”

CESI hopes that the European Parliament plenary will swiftly confirm the deal in plenary.

The letter urges the Council “to ensure that the EU Strategic Agenda 2024–2029 keeps social and health ambitions high, as a prerequisite to achieving a ‘strong, dynamic, competitive and cohesive Europe’.” It stresses that “the concurrent challenges of population ageing, climate change, cost-of-living increases, accessibility and affordability of healthcare can only be overcome by giving health and social priorities the attention they deserve” and notes that “addressing social inequalities and affordability of evidence-based healthcare are crucial for promoting cohesion and economic stability” – something that the current draft version of the next Strategic Agenda insufficiently incorporates.

CESI has signed the letter together with :

• ACHSE – Allianz Chronischer Seltener Erkrankungen
• AGE-Platform
• AIEP – European Association of Paritarian Institutions
• AIM – International association of mutual benefit societies
• COFACE Families Europe
• ČAVO – Rare Disease Czech Republic
• DSV-Europa – Deutsche Sozialversicherung Europavertretung
• EAPN – European Anti-Poverty Network
• EFFE-Homecare – European Federation for Family Employment & Home Care
• EFSI – European Federation for Services to Individuals
• EFN – European Federation of Nurses
• EPF – European Patients Forum
• EPHA – European Public Health Alliance
• ESIP – European Social Insurance Platform
• Eurocarers
• Feantsa – European Federation of National Organisations Working with the Homeless
• HCFA – Hellenic Cystic Fibrosis Association
• REIF – Représentation européenne des institutions françaises de sécurité sociale
• RONARD – Romanian National Alliance for Rare Diseases

The full letter is available here.

***Article by the French Trade Union Confederation of National Education (CSEN)

Scapegoating Europe? To hell with that!

The European Parliament elections will take place on the 9th of June. When choosing our common future, it’s worth stepping back and looking at the bigger picture.

What do we want for our children? In what ways will professions change going forward? Are we in favour of change or are we against it? People are in a state of disarray. Abounding fake news blitzes and remarkable AI capabilities appear to undermine everything we are told, not least what we are told by authorities. How can we find our bearings amid it all? Who can we trust? What are we to expect?

***

[1]A four-part series portraying schools in France in 1880, 1930, 1950 and 1980[2] was recently broadcast on a French television channel. It involved current day teachers and pupils stepping back in time and immersing themselves in the practices and, most importantly, the beliefs of those times. The production skilfully avoids clichés providing solid in-depth analysis, no “it was better back in my day” discourse to be seen.

It is a timely illustration that the act of teaching has always been about facilitating a process whereby a student obtains knowledge or skills. A process that artificial intelligence will never be able to replace[3]. Restoring the prestige of our professions is an immediate imperative for the French National School Board.

The last segment of the series, in which the 2024 students answer questions in front of the camera, was the most eye-opening of all:

The 13/14 year-olds were utterly flabbergasted at the very notion of life in the 80s: “How did they manage it? You had to use different money all the time? Border checks?”

It all seemed so far-fetched, illustrating how irrefutably intrinsic Europe now is for that generation; Monnet and Schuman’s blueprint blatantly brought to bear – their work endures despite the ranting and raving of prevailing public opinion. Most voters nevertheless remain averse to change. Every voter is well aware of what he or she loses, yet seems blind to what he or she gains – considerable powers of persuasion are needed to achieve greater emancipation and prosperity for the masses.

Far too few politicians are bothered to go about that. This provides ample opportunity for populists. Just look at how the Brits are kicking themselves after Brexit.

Jacques Delors was keenly aware of all of this, so much so that he refused to stand for election in France even though all the polls suggested that he would have secured a comfortable victory.

How about comparing what used to happen here with what it is currently happening now elsewhere? Look at Russia for instance – surely that can allow us to recognise that the European project very much remains a worthy endeavour, one that merits our full attention.

CESI embodies such ambition, it brings hope to workers across our continent. We are the protagonists of our future.

If France is our community of shared destiny, we must remember that Europe is our community of shared civilisation.

Barbarism looms on the horizon.

The vote on June 9th will be historic.

It’s time to rally together.

[1] M6 cable TV channel

[2] ‘L’école à remonter le temps’ – (‘School once upon a time’) in collaboration with Jérôme Krop, educational sciences historian

[3] Raphaël Enthoven ‘l’Esprit artificiel’ – ‘The artificial mind’

By Kirsten Lühmann, President of CESI’s Commission on Women’s Rights

“The last year has seen important progress for better gender equality and equal opportunities in Europe. Above all, after complicated negotiations, the European Parliament and the Council finally agreed on the EU to accede, for its areas of competences, to the Istanbul Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, a step that entered into force on October 1 last year.

Moreover, the European Parliament the Council reached a political agreement on a new EU directive on combating violence against women and domestic violence, complementary to the Istanbul Convention, with the aim to close gaps in protection and access to justice for women across the EU.

Both represent important milestones that we trade unions have campaigned for during many years. They represent positive outcomes of the current EU legislative term and, in advance of the EU elections in June, showcase for women across Europe the added value of the EU in the area of women’s rights and non-discrimination.

Notwithstanding all progress as a result of this, we regret however that an EU-wide consent-based definition of rape remains excluded from the directive. We also regret that there are still Member States that refuse to ratify the Istanbul Convention themselves for issues of national-level competence. In these countries, women are left unprotected for areas that are not covered by an EU accession to the Convention and the EU’s scope of competences under it.

Broader inequalities still persist, though – in social, employment-related and economic terms. Women still carry disproportionate shares of domestic care responsibilities. Pay and pension gaps still persist, and so do glass ceiling to access higher and managerial positions. For women’s rights, this leaves ample of work for the years ahead.”

CESI Firefighters’ Day 2024

March 11-12 2024 | (Athens, Greece & via Zoom)

Interpretation EN/FR/DE/NL

Additional languages maybe be provided, depending upon registration

Register here

In cooperation with the Greek firefighters´ union EPAYPS, the 2024 Firefighters’ Day will take place in Greece, Athens. Online participation will be possible for the meeting on March 12^th.

The aim is to further explore how the EU and Member States can best support and address the current challenges firefighters are facing.

The extreme weather conditions of the past years led to an exponential growth of natural disasters threats. Forest fires, heatwaves and droughts have reached alarming levels.

The European Union has emerged as a pivotal force in supporting firefighters through the Civil Protection Mechanism and implementing strategies to combat forest fires and other natural disasters catalyzed by climate change.

In the frame of bilateral encounters and visits, the challenges for the Greek civil protection and disaster response authorities shall be addressed.

During the meeting on Tuesday March 12th, the delegations shall present their respective forecasts, challenges and expectations.

The meeting will take place in Athens at various locations and via Zoom.

Provisional programme and agenda:

#InvestInPublicServices #Syncrisis #SocialEurope #EU2030

Monday, 11th of March 2024

15:30 – Visit at the Hellenic Fire Campus – Stavros Niarchos Foundation premises at Nea Makri, Attica

17:30 – Visit at the National Coordination Center for Operations and Crisis Management, Marousi

18:30 – Meeting with the Commander of the National Coordination Center for Operations and Crisis Management, Fire General Dimitrios Briolas, at the Hellenic Fireservice Headquarters, Marousi

20:00 – Official Dinner

Tuesday, 12th of March 2024 – Melina Merkouri Centre (Iraklidon 66, Athina 118 51) Athens, Greece

09:00 – Welcome address ‘CESI Firefighters’ Day 2024’

Klaus Heeger, CESI Secretary General

Antonis Koukouzas, Fire Officer, EPAYPS

09:10 – Round-table – presentation of all the firefighters’ delegations

09:40 – The working conditions of firefighters in the EU – report from the hearing in the European Parliament

Dragoș Pîslaru, Member of the European Parliament Committee, Chair of the EMPL Committee and co-organiser of the hearing on the working conditions of firefighters (video message)

10:00 – Experiences and further improvements of the EU in terms of civil protection

Deputy-Director Hans Das, in charge of Deputy Director-General in charge of Directorate ECHO European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations

10:30 – Current challenges and exchanges of best practices

• • Frédéric Monchy, SNSPP-PATS
  • Alain Laratta, Avenir Secours
  • Valentino Tagliaferro, komba
  • NN, CNV Connectief
  • Vasilis Bikas, EPAYPS

11:30 – The SYNCRISIS-project and how climate change has impacts on the European workforce

Tilemachos Dafnis, Policy Advisor, CESI

11:45 – The way ahead – key demands and adoption of a Firefighters´ Manifesto

(optional) Visit at the Special Unit of Wildfires Operations premises at Villia, Attica

As the conflict in Ukraine enters its third year, Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, called for more European commitment for the EU Defence Union architecture. The Commission President also mentioned at the 2024 Munich Security Conference that the next European Commission should include ‘a dedicated defence portfolio’.

In response to the possibility of an upcoming appointment for a European Commissioner for Defence, Thomas Sohst, representing DBwV German Armed Forces and President of CESI’s Expert Commission ‘Defence’, declared: “Having Defence Commissioner might be a significant turning point to have a more united approach to defence policies in Europe, but it is important for the selected Commissioner to be capable to advance multiple topics -not just defence procurement- and to be able to get more engaged in the project with the Member States .”

On February 28 2024 the European Parliament adopted the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) Annual Report. The document recommends unwavering support for the commitments made in the Versailles Declaration of March 2022 by EU heads of state and government to bolster defence capabilities of and provide necessary support to Ukraine. It calls for greater coordination with transatlantic allies and NATO and stresses the need to update the EU’s Strategic Compass to incorporate lessons from recent conflicts. The report urges EU Member States to accelerate the implementation of the Strategic Compass through increased military cooperation. It underscores the importance of the EU’s ability to act rapidly in crises and calls for reforms to the decision-making system to enable more efficient foreign, security, and defence actions. The text also states its support for the appointment of a Defence Union Commissioner and emphasises the importance of strengthening the EU’s Military Planning and Conduct Capability (MPCC). Additionally, it highlights the importance of implementing the Rapid Deployment Capacity and conducting live exercises to improve capabilities and interoperability.

Klaus Heeger, Secretary General of CESI, reacted to the need to establish the Rapid Deployment Capacity (RDC) as a permanent force with regular joint exercises to improve readiness and interoperability by increasing the EU’s capacity to deploy up to 60,000 troops: “The EU needs more investments for enhancing military mobility, strengthening defence financing, and improving defence capabilities. The focus on the human element should not be overlooked.”

The European Parliament’s report on the implementation of the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) Annual Report for 2023, was adopted the same day. It highlights the critical importance of a united and effective European approach to foreign affairs and security challenges and sketches the need to enhance the EU’s capacity to act as a global actor. It emphasises the need for a robust and agile CFSP that enables the EU to respond effectively to evolving geopolitical challenges and highlights the EU’s potential to play a proactive and constructive role in promoting peace, stability, and prosperity worldwide through diplomatic initiatives, conflict resolution efforts, and crisis management mechanisms.

Thomas Sohst noted: “In the wake of escalating conflicts in both Ukraine and Gaza, the imperative for a robust European Defence Union coupled with defence joint procurement has become increasingly evident. The EU, amidst these crises, faces a pivotal moment where cohesive, proactive measures are essential to safeguarding its values, peace and prosperity.”

On the occasion of this year’s annual European Day for a Work-free Sunday on March 3, the European Sunday Alliance, where CESI is a member, reminds that synchronised resting time is an effective tool to counter loneliness and highlights its importance for the mental health of workers. In the view of upcoming EU elections in June 2024, the European Sunday Alliance calls on Members of the European Parliament and candidates to the upcoming European Elections to support the Elections Manifesto of its Steering Committee to recognise the value of the establishment of a weekly common day of rest, by tradition on Sunday, at the EU level for all citizens. On the occasion of the European Day for a Work-free Sunday, the European Sunday Alliance is glad about support for a work-free Sunday as expressed by a series of Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) from different political groups, among them Brando Benifei (S&D, Italy), Gabriele Bischoff (S&D, Germany), Katrin Langensiepen (Greens/EFA, Germany), Dragos Pislaru (Renew, Romania), Dennis Radtke (EPP, Germany), Evelyn Regner (S&D, Austria), Michaela Sojdrova (EPP, Czech Republic) and Tomas Zdechovsky (EPP, Czech Republic) – and, as sponsor of the European Sunday Alliance, Miriam Lexmann (EPP, Slovakia): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ebukfuWEqg

All further videos are available on the website of the European Sunday Alliance.

The position, adopted as a response to an ad-hoc social partner consultation of the European Commission, states its support for a new EU action plan on labour and skills shortages and emphasises that

• labour and skills shortages are critical challenges facing the EU’s economy and labour market in the short- and medium-term.
• the shortages pose significant obstacles to growth, sustainability, innovation, and competitiveness across various economic sectors as well as the public sector, and emphasises.
• as the EU strives to navigate through demographic shifts, technological advancements, climate change and global economic transformations, it becomes imperative to adopt effective strategies to mitigate shortages and ensure a skilled and adaptable workforce of the future.

The position requests an action plan to reduce labour and skills shortages in particular through:

• Improved working conditions: Making working conditions in sectors with shortages better for employees is paramount for enhancing staff recruitment and retention.
• Flexible working arrangements and access to care: Flexible working arrangements and available, affordable and high-quality care services are a key complement to better working conditions and are needed especially by working parents to resolve professional work and domestic and care responsibilities. This is a key component of improved working conditions and adds to the attractiveness of employment.
• Improved public recognition of professions: In the care sector specifically, a better perception of professions in the public eye is essential to increase their valorisation and attractiveness.
• Investments in training on the job: Investing in training on the job and development programmes tailored to employees’ evolving skills needs not only boosts productivity but also equips workers with the competencies required to adapt to changing job roles and emerging technologies in the green-digital twin transition.
• Enhanced (fair) labour mobility: Facilitating labour mobility within the EU can help alleviate regional disparities and match workers with job opportunities across borders. However, fostered labour mobility – within the EU and from third countries – must remain fair and mitigate brain drains as much as possible.

CESI Secretary General Klaus Heeger said: “Closing the skills gaps requires decided steps by policy makers, who should act in close coordination, cooperation and consultation with social partners. Social partners have a crucial role to play in identifying skills needs and addressing labour shortages across various policy domains. Through collaboration and dialogue at the EU, national, sectoral as well as company and authority level, they can devise holistic as well as targeted solutions to enhance workforce development, promote fair labour practices, and drive economic prosperity.”

He added: “In praticular, a key to a successful mitigation of labour shortages will be pluralistic and inclusive social dialogue. It will be key to reach out to and take on board all actors. Social dialogue restricted to only the established biggest and most representative social partners will leave aside and thus exclude a significant portion of the European workforce. As such, the envisaged action plan should explicitly spell out the need for pluralist and inclusive social dialogue to address labour and skills shortages in the most comprehensive and effective manner.”

The full position is available here.

The event was held against the background of a recently published proposal of the European Commission to revise and strengthen the EU’s EWC directive 2009/38/EC, the EU’s main legislation on information and consultation rights on transnational matters in multinational companies.

It featured a series of experts on EWCs, including MEP Dennis Radtke (Rapporteur on the recent European Parliament report on a revised EWC Directive), MEP Gabriele Bischoff (Rapporteur on the recent European Parliament report on ‘Democracy at Work’), Adam Pokorny (Head of Unit ‘Labour Law’ at the European Commission), Gianluca Ceriani (Regional Secretary at the Italian Confsal trade union and member of the EWC of BNP Paribas) and Samuel Goldberg (Affiliate of the Dutch CNV-Connectief trade union and former member of the EWC of PostNL). It was moderated by CESI Secretary General Klaus Heeger.

Exploring the proposal’s strengths and shortcomings, the negotiation timeline ahead, the priorities of the European Parliament on the matter, and merits and demerits from the perspective of affected trade unions and worker representatives, Klaus Heeger made clear that, overall, the initiative reflects a long-standing demand of trade unions to render EWCs more meaningful bodies of worker involvement in corporate decisions that affect employment and working conditions in transnational companies.

During the event, it emerged that the proposal, as tabled by the European Commission, could substantially help EWCs to become more effective and meaningful, in particular by:

• defining ‘transnational matters’ subject to consultation procedures in a way that companies can no longer duly circumvent EWCs.
• rephrasing ‘confidentiality restrictions’ so that companies can no longer use these as a pretext to circumvent an otherwise required consultation of EWCs.
• achieving a better enforcement of the directive on the ground by setting out an obligation for Member States “to provide for effective, dissuasive, and proportionate sanctions” in cases of non-compliance with provisions of the directive, coupled with a requirement to “take into consideration the gravity, duration, consequences, and the intentional or negligent nature of the offence”.
  
• providing criteria for sufficient financial and material resources for EWCs to enable them to perform their duties in an appropriate manner.

CESI Secretary General Klaus Heeger concluded: “CESI has voiced its support for strengthened EWCs in two social partner consultations. We broadly support the European Commission’s proposal and hope that the European Parliament and Council will move as far as possible in legislative negotiations before the EU elections in summer.”

For more information:

• CESI position on a revision of the European Works Councils (EWCs) Directive – 2023 (EN)
• CESI response to a second-phase social partner consultation on a revision of the European Works Councils (EWCs) Directive – 2023 (EN)
• CESI response to a first-phase social partner consultation on a revision of the European Work Councils (EWCs) Directive – 2023 (EN)

CESI successfully concluded its 3rd training and exchange meeting with young trade unionists in the frame of its ‘WEP‘ project (Workers Exchange Programme), this time on communication and social media. Held on February 2, 2024, in a hybrid format both in Brussels and online, the event brought together young participants eager to delve into the nuances of effective communication strategies in the realm of trade unions.

The session commenced with warm welcomes and insightful introductions by Marcello Pacifico, President of CESI Europe Academy, and Klaus Heeger, CESI Secretary General.

Participants then embarked on a journey of skills enhancement with Luc Viehé, Coordinator of ‘WEP’ & Vice-president of CESI’s Expert Commission on Education, who shared valuable insights into public speaking and communication tailored specifically for trade unionists.

Jürgen Noack, Managing Director of PLUX Consulting, took the stage next to illuminate attendees on the intricacies of leveraging social media platforms for effective communication strategies at both national and European levels. His expertise shed light on the evolving landscape of digital communication and its significance in advancing the goals of trade unions in contemporary society.

The event also provided a platform for internal reflection, as Tilemachos Dafnis, CESI’ Policy Advisor, elucidated CESI’s communication channels and its ongoing campaign on the European elections.

Furthermore, Ettore Michelazzi, Coordinator of ‘WEP’, and Marcella Migliori, Project Manager & Policy Advisor at CESI, provided valuable insights into the practical aspects of the Workers’ Exchange Platform, offering participants a glimpse into the final phase of the project.

Overall, the event served as a testament to CESI’s commitment to equipping its members with the necessary tools and knowledge to navigate the complex terrain of communication in the modern age, fostering solidarity and effectiveness within the trade union movement.

Opening the event, CESI President Romain Wolff set out to stress how the global geo-political context is currently affected by a complex mix of armed conflicts, effects of extreme weather conditions as well as migration and inflation – and how Member States need to step up efforts in their defence policies in the face of this polycrisis, while at the same time not jeopardising climate change mitigation.

The 7th EDRT offered diverse insights and expertise on the subject matter, featuring a lineup of distinguished speakers and experts – from military leaders to policy makers, politicians, academics and representatives of industry and international organisations.

Elena Lazarou, representing the European Parliament Research Service, offered a unique assessment of the so-called climate-security nexus, the need to bring together effective European security and defence cooperation with climate protection measures.

MEP Lukas Mandl evaluated the current grim global geo-political situation and the threats to democracy in Europe, but also identified some positive “new beginnings” or progress in efforts to further build the European Defence Union. He also acknowledged the advancement of new defence efforts at national level in some EU Member States.

Fabian Zuleeg, CEO of the Brussels think tank European Policy Centre (EPC), explained his view of a “progress illusion” when assessing the current state of permacrisis which the EU is facing, and identified climate change as “the biggest threat we are facing.” He raised awareness on the potentially far-reaching negative impacts of upcoming elections in the EU and the USA for the war efforts of Ukraine, should populist forces win them.

Jean Asselborn, former Minister for Foreign Affairs, Luxembourg, navigated the complexities of international politics and global dynamics, with direct reference to the hard decisions that Member States need to take to strengthen EU’s capacity for deterrence.

Thomas Sohst, representing CESI’s member DBwV (the German Armed Forces Association) and acting in his role as President of the CESI’s statutory Expert Commission ‘Defence’, put forward the need for reinforced support for Ukraine: “Supporting Ukraine is needed so that the war is not lost – regardless on what happens on other fronts. With elections in the USA that may cause a halt in US support in Europe, the EU needs to step up investments in its defence capabilities. Financial resources for the armed forces need to be significantly increased. If production facilities for defence equipment and consumables are expanded, European armed forces would save resources in the long term – financially and in terms of personnel. This is important to consider as armed forces in European countries have not only a financial problem but also a problem of new recruitment of staff.”

Emmanuel Jacob, President of EUROMIL, joined to request more solidarity and unity concerning the concept of European Armed Forces and a more strategic approach to joint EU defence.

CESI Secretary General Klaus Heeger concluded the event by highlighting the magnitude of challenges that the EU is facing, and stressed the need for a visionary approach to them: “We might not be able to preserve everything we have at the moment but one thing is for sure: If we do not retain democracy and security, then we will not be able to defend ourselves against other aggressions and the fundamental values of our European societies. We need serious investments in our armies and capabilities to make the European Defence Union a palpable European project.”

Through forthcoming further EDRT events, CESI ensages to encourage stakeholders and decision makers in the area of defence to continue dialogue, implement concrete action plans, and drive forward initiatives to strengthen European security – and its adaptability plans for greening the defence sector too. According to CESI, the EU’s unwavering support for Ukraine, the recent breakthrough in European financial support for the country, and reflections on upcoming US elections underscore the importance of solidarity, cooperation, investments and democracy in Europe, and of keeping a united front against aggressors for the preservation of freedom, values and peace on the continent.

According to the organisers, the summit served to “reflect on the importance of social dialogue in tackling pressing challenges in the world of work” as “the future of Europe will be built with and by our social partners”. The endorsement of a draft Tripartite Declaration for a Thriving European Social Dialogue was supposed give flesh to a “renewed commitment to strengthen social dialogue at EU level.” In particular, albeit mostly vague in its stipulations, the declaration is intended to jumpstart a further process towards a new so-called Pact for European Social Dialogue, which would put forward new proposals by early 2025 to reinforce European Social Dialogue.

CESI Secretary General Klaus Heeger said: “The summit might have been noble in intentions, but you do not build Europe with social partners by holding a closed-door meeting with a handful of people, high-ranking as they may be. You start by reaching out to all players and include representatives of independent trade unions too. A brand new representativeness study from the European Commission’s very own agency Eurofound certifies that CESI represents 15% of the organised workers in Europe – but a request to participate in the summit was plainly ignored. This is not how European social dialogue, and the European integration project at large, should work.”

He added: “After the summits in Gothenburg and Porto, the exclusive Val Duchesse Summit continued the road of a concentration of dialogue of the EU institutions with so-called recognised cross-sector social partners. Why? The success of the European cross-sector social dialogue dates back a long time ago. Recently, it was rather marked by failure – failure above all to agree on future-proof digitalisation rules at work. We do not need social dialogue as for the sake of social dialogue, but to deliver for workers. In the absence of a functioning cross-sector social dialogue despite all the logistical, organisational and financial support it gets, the EU institutions should fix its rules of the game and require it to deliver, and re-consider their strategy and also strengthen support for sectoral social dialogue and independent unions.”

More specifically, the EU election manifesto requests that:

• the EU must take decisive action to ensure that no measures are taken by governments against trade unions and social partners that are not line with the European Social Charter and the EU’s Council Recommendation on strengthening social dialogue.
• The EU should set up a New Social Deal to attain the objectives of the European Pillar of Social Rights, equivalent to the legally binding New Green Deal that the European Commission envisages.
• The EU directives on fixed-term work, part-time work and temporary agenda work should be revised to close loopholes that provide for discrimination vis-à-vis permanent employees.
• The EU directives on public procurement and concessions and the EU regulations on State Aid should be updated to make the application of criteria for decent work in public procurement procedures obligatory.
• The EU needs to develop a directive on the digitalisation of working environments, to complement national level efforts by Member States, with minimum standards on mobile working and home office, a right to disconnect, the use of worker-friendly artificial intelligence on the job, and the protection of privacy from undue digital surveillance.
• The EU should step up its efforts to support Member States, authorities and social partners to end violence against workers.
• The EU should encourage Member States to build, maintain and strengthen an agenda for performing public services through policy tools such as the European Semester and applicable EU funding programmes for capacity building including the NextGenerationEU, and that the EU should highlight, more than before, the urgent need for adequate investments in administrations and public services and their personnel, in order to make them crisis-proof.
• To this end, the European economic governance framework must be adjusted to meet investment needs while safeguarding sustainable public finance.

CESI Secretary General Klaus Heeger said: “During its term from 2024 to 2029, the EU will need to continue crisis management, and it will need to continue to work for rule of law and values of liberal democracy in all its Member States. It will also face further developments in its enlargement of EU accession candidate countries, which would would require first an internal reform of the EU’s institutional and decision-making architecture. The basis for all is a strong EU that can defend its security. Without military security, economic and social security are not possible. In June 2024, we call for a strong pro-European backing from all citizens in the EU.”

The full Manifesto is available here.

Recognising the significant challenges faced by health care professionals across the continent, the parliamentary meeting sought to explore comprehensive strategies to improve the working conditions of health care professionals. The event brought together key stakeholders, policymakers and experts to deliberate on strategies and solutions which could work across Europe.

In his opening statement, CESI Secretary General Klaus Heeger outlined the challenges ahead for personnel in the health care sector – ranging from an ageing workforce to increasing and changing health care needs of ageing populations, from understaffing to deplorable working conditions, from work overload to a lack of recognition and fair pay, from inadequate equipment to the loss of qualified personnel and deficient staff retention. He also underscored the problems linked to an emigrating health care workforce for certain countries and regions.

One of the major challenges that was explored in detail related to understaffing. Laura África Villaseñor Roa, President of the Spanish nurses trade union SATSE, an affiliate of CESI, stressed: “We need nurses and physiotherapists, especially in Spain, where the ratio of nurses per inhabitant is well below the European average, specifically at 6.3 per 1000 inhabitants, whereas the EU average is 9.2. Care services need continue to increase, from the most basic to the most complex, with figures indicating a significant increase in the number of people who will require long-term care in the coming years. To avoid unmet needs in the health care sector we need to improve the working conditions in the sectors to ensure a better retention and attractiveness of healthcare professionals.” Indeed, the event revealed that in the health care sector alone, data from 2021 showcases a shortfall of care workers estimated at 4.1 million by 2030 EU-wide, with the situation expected to become more challenging as the number of people with (long-term) care needs will further increase over time.

Dr. Tomas Zapata, Regional Adviser at World Health Organisation (WHO), also referred to negative staffing trends as a major challenge of the sector, pointing out that an improved retention of health care professionals should be the number one priority for policy makers and authorities. He presented a WHO Framework for action on the health and care workforce in the European region for 2023-2030, emphasising the need to improve on the workload, flexibility and work-life balance, working time, remuneration and valorisation of health care personnel in order to arrive at a better staff retention in the sector.

Along the same lines, Dr. Milena Popović Samardžić, President of the Montenegrin Trade Union of Physicians SDMCG, a member of CESI, confirmed the brain drain phenomenon for health care workers in the Balkans, the poor working conditions in the sector and the need to step up efforts for smart use of health care technologies. She however also provided examples of how, with relatively little investments, a better staff recruitment and retention can be achieved and health care workforce preserved at national level also in these countries, following the example of the success of her union in collective bargaining in Montenegro.

Marco Dons, representing the Dutch National Federation of Christian Trade Unions (CNV Connectief), provided best practices from the Netherlands on flexible working arrangements and early retirement schemes for health care professionals as ways to address the current shortages of staff in the sector.

Paul De Raeve, Secretary General of the European Federation of Nurses Associations (EFN) and a nurse himself, joined to flag the poor working conditions which nurses are faced with: tremendous workloads, violence, a lack of sufficient remuneration, and burnout. He urged the EU politicians and policymakers to take immediate action to focus on developing EU legislation to improve the recruitment and retention of domestically educated nurses, achieve safe staffing levels, and prioritise the welfare of nurses and patients alike.

Elizabeth Kuiper, Associate Director and Head of the Social Europe and Well-being programme at the European Policy Centre (EPC), followed by Ines Prainsack, member of Cabinet for the European Commissioner for Health and Food Safetyand Stella Kyriakides and Vilija Sysaite, Cabinet expert for the Commissioner for Jobs & Social Rights Nicolas Schmit, all highlighted evolving EU policies to further develop the European Health Union – which could provide solutions for certain challenges of the health care workforces in the EU and beyond.

MEP Dolors Montserrat closed the meeting, signaling a commitment to address the multifaceted challenges faced by health care professionals in Europe. By fostering collaboration between various stakeholders, she said, a comprehensive and sustainable framework could be put in place that prioritises the well-being of those dedicated to safeguarding public health. Moreover, a pivotal step of investing in the health care workforce should reflect the EU’s intention to build a resilient and responsive health care system for the benefit of both the personnel and the communities that it serves, she stressed.

CESI’s 7^th European Defence Round Table (EDRT)*

6 February 2024 2:00 – 3:30 PM | online & in Brussels | In English & German languages

The ongoing war in Ukraine has far-reaching implications beyond its immediate geopolitical and humanitarian consequences.

While the EU’s primary objective remains to become climate-neutral by 2050, the war has the potential to impact both the European Union’s climate change goals and the global efforts to combat climate change.

Meanwhile, public support for sanctions against Russia and further military support to Ukraine remains high (Eurobarometer survey).

The 7th European Defence Round Table therefore aims at shedding more light on the climate-security nexus and the impacts of the war on the EU’s and international climate neutrality goals and commitments.

The questions debated shall be as follows:

• Are geopolitical tensions and wars impacting global collaboration and international commitments to climate goals?
• Can energy supply disruptions and shortages potentially affect the EU’s transition to renewable energy sources?
• May continuous military support clash with the replenishment and the modernization of the armed forces of the EU Member States?
• Will, against this background, national armies be able to meet climate objectives?
• Are, against the background of a multitude of challenges and crises, increases of the regular national defence budgets realistic?

With the participation of (in alphabetical order) :

• Jean Asselborn, former Minister for Foreign Affairs, Luxembourg
• Emmanuel Jacob, President of EUROMIL
• Elena Lazarou, Head of the External Policies Unit at the European Parliament Research Service
• MEP Lukas Mandl, Vice-chair of the European Parliament Committee on Foreign Affairs and substitute in the Subcommittee on Security and Defence
• Thomas Sohst, German Armed Forces Association (DBwV), President of CESI´s Commission ‘Defence’
• Romain Wolff, President of CESI
• Fabian Zuleeg, CEO European Policy Centre

Please register for the CESI’s 7th European Defence Round Table (EDRT) here.

*CESI’s European Defence Round Table (EDRT) aims at including more key players and stakeholders in the processes of the Common Security and Defence Policy.

The Spanish Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the second half of last year was a success from a trade union point of view – even if somewhat unexpectedly, with initial fears that the national parliamentary elections in July could paralyze the government on the Brussels stage. From January 1, the Belgian government now holds the EU Council Presidency for the next six months – and national elections are due there as well very soon. Nevertheless, as CESI we put high hopes in the team of Prime Minister De Croo.

An agreement with the European Parliament on a directive for new guidelines for national equality bodies on December 12, for fair working conditions in the platform economy on December 13, and for corporate sustainability due diligence (CSDD) obligations on December 14. In addition, an agreement on a reformed asylum and migration package on 20 December and a new directive on residence and work permits for third-country nationals on December 14. There is no doubt that the Spanish Presidency has delivered, and important new social and employment legislation has been introduced. Even if not every detail was solved optimally from a union’s point of view, the bottom line is that from the EU social and employment legislation perspective, the last six months have been good for workers in Europe overall.

The bar is therefore set high for the new Belgian Presidency. And the stakes are high too; agreements have yet to be reached on further important social and employment policy projects. An agreement must be reached with the European Parliament on new rules for European fiscal and economic governance. In addition, negotiations are still underway on a new net-zero industry regulation, which is intended to launch measures to expand the production capacities of climate-neutral technologies in the EU – hopefully in a socially acceptable way. In addition, new proposals from the European Commission are expected in the near future to improve the quality of traineeships and, as soon as next week, to strengthen the role of European Works Councils. A proposal to advance the coordination of national social security systems in the EU is stuck in the Council, but will be further negotiated – at least this is the hope among stakeholders and in the European Parliament.

The Belgian Presidency of the Council has made an ambitious start to the Presidency and wants to negotiate as much as possible as quickly as possible – for various reasons.

First, EU elections are due across Europe in June, and by spring at the latest, many of the current negotiating partners in the European Parliament -the MEPs- will have left the election campaign in their constituencies. If a negotiated result is to be adopted by the European Parliament still before the elections, it must be passed by the plenary in February at the latest, if possible. Until then, there is only a window of opportunity of a few weeks.

Second, it may become more difficult to launch new policies from the summer onwards. Above all, the fear is that the newly elected European Parliament could become more eurosceptic and populist during the next five years. Any file that has not been fully negotiated and decided before the elections could then be up for question again. Moreover, Hungary will take over the presidency of the Council in July. Under the leadership of President Viktor Orbán’s eurosceptic Fidesz government, it seems unlikely that there will be any form of progress on European policy. MEPs from the moderate groups, who currently have a clear majority in Parliament, share these concerns.

Finally, Belgium will also elect a new parliament on June 9. According to the latest polls, the outcome is rather uncertain – it is even possible that the Flemish separatist Vlaams Belang could win the election. The government under Prime Minister De Croo is therefore working hard to achieve as much as possible under its influence in Europe before the elections and to make a name for itself at home.

These are positive preconditions for the Council and Parliament to reach agreements even on difficult issues during the coming weeks. As European independent trade unions, as CESI, we put high hopes in the coming months.

On December 14, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) delivered a judgement of major importance for civil servants in Germany.

In the case of Humpert and Others v. Germany, the ECHR ruled that a prohibition on strikes by civil servants does not violate their freedom of assembly and association when there are institutional safeguards that allow for effective defence of professional interests.

The Court was called upon to examine possible violations of articles 11 (freedom of assembly and association) and 14 (prohibition of discrimination) of the European Convention on Human Rights.

According to the applicants, German teachers with civil servant status, the disciplinary measures taken against them for participating in a strike during working hours, along with the general prohibition on strikes for civil servants, do not have a legal justification and are disproportionate and discriminatory.

The Grand Chamber of the ECHR held that the measures against the teachers had been proportional to the legitimate aims pursued by the German state, in particular to ensure effective public administration and to protect other rights, such as the right to education.

According to the judgement, the statutory right of civil service trade unions to participate in the formulation of regulations and the constitutional right of civil servants to “adequate maintenance” are sufficient for the protection of their interests.

The judgement was welcomed by CESI’s biggest member organisation, the German “dbb“, according to which “the civil service ban on strikes is closely linked to the constitutional foundations of the German civil services” and that “a right to strike would trigger a chain reaction with regard to the structure of the civil service relationship as a whole”.

On December 13, the European Parliament and the Council agreed on a new directive to enhance working conditions for individuals involved in the platform economy, potentially granting millions of them access to employment rights.

Pending formal adoption procedures, the directive will introduce two main enhancements: it will streamline the correct classification of people working for platforms and it will establish transparency rules for algorithm systems used by the platforms.

The first improvement involves facilitating the proper classification of such individuals by establishing a legal presumption of employment relationship. Based on this, a platform will be considered an employer, if it meets at least two out of the following five indicators:

-Maximum caps on employees’ earnings
-Monitoring of their work performance, including through electronic methods
-Authority over task distribution and allocation
-Influence on working conditions and limitations on selecting working hours
Constraints on their autonomy to organise work and rules on their appearance or behaviour

Member states will be able to also introduce additional indicators.

The second improvement focuses on the use of automated systems in monitoring and decision-making on digital labour platforms (‘algorithmic management’). To address the current lack of transparency, the upcoming directive foresees a right to information by the workers regarding the use of such systems, as well as restrictions in the processing of certain personal data, and enhanced human oversight for significant decisions.

The provisional agreement by the two Institutions now awaits formal adoption.

CESI Secretary General Klaus Heeger said: “Today’s political agreement marks a significant step for the protection of platform workers. Currently, at least 5.5 million persons working for platforms may be wrongly classified as self-employed. Hopefully, the new directive will limit bogus self-employment in the gig economy and will grant these people significant labour and social protection rights. Having participated in both social partners’ consultation on the upcoming directive, CESI can be proud of contributing to more decent work across Europe. Once the official text of the agreement is published, we will gain a deeper understanding, allowing us to better assess the details.”

Dear members, partners and friends,

In times of war, multi-and perma-crises and ongoing challenges of our current world order, the European postwar project is needed more than ever.

It reflects a belief that puts compromise over brute force or intimidation. It stands for respect, not for the tyranny of the strongest. And it embodies a rule-based international order.

Yet as we all know, it is facing unprecedented defiance.

For us as independent trade unions, social and economic progress must remain at the core of European integration – and of CESI´s mission. No challenge of our time can be met if citizens and workers are left behind.

Over the past year, we have made significant advancements on various fronts. We went through one crisis after another. Not untouched but standing firmly.

For this, we are immensely grateful to our members, friends, and partners who have shaped and supported our endeavours.

On behalf of CESI, allow me to express my deep gratitude for your unwavering support and dedication.

I wish you a Merry Christmas and a happy, more peaceful New Year!

The position, which was developed against the background of the currently negotiated reform of the EU economic governance framework, stresses in particular that:

• deficits to no more than 3% of the national GDP and public debt levels to below 60% of national GDP should remain the target for all Member States in the European economic governance.
• at the same time, EU economic governance should be revised to better enable Member States to engage in expenditures when they – as investments – are likely to yield higher returns in the future. This is especially true for the public sector. Public services ensure a continuous, impartial and objective functioning of the state – beyond party politics and elections. EU economic governance should feature a Golden Rule to exempt from deficit calculations certain investments in public services that are required for their crisis resilience and continued performance. Those expenditures in public services are not merely costs, they are investments in the future.
• EU economic governance rules should take a more flexible and a stronger anticyclical approach than in the past. Under a reformed economic governance system, budgetary consolidation should above all be pursued during times of economic booms, and investments should be implemented especially in times of recession.
• when it comes to financing investments without engaging in additional debts, the narrative of the economic governance system should not neglect the role of taxation policy. With every major crisis that Europe has seen during the last two decades, profits tended to be privatised in the hands of a few while deficits were socialised at the expense of public budgets. Therefore, new financial revenue opportunities should be tapped to finance increased public spending. This necessitates the joint closure of loopholes for unethical tax avoidance and illicit tax fraud at the EU level and the recruitment of more tax administration staff in the Member States. The latter should be more highlighted in instruments of the EU economic governance such as the European Semester – along with the need to step up capital taxation (especially compared to labour taxation). In sum, correctly pursued, taxation policy offers ample additional public revenue – coupled with socio-economic fairness for societies.
• independent trade unions and sectoral social partners should be more structurally involved in the roll-out of the European economic governance. This pertains especially to its monitoring and recommendation tool, the European Semester.

CESI Secretary General Klaus Heeger said: “According to the European Commission, the legislative proposals to revise the EU economic governance aim to strengthen public debt sustainability, taking into account the need to reduce much-increased public debt levels, and enhance sustainable and inclusive growth through investment and reforms. As CESI, we support this overarching objective. However, the devil is in the detail. Above all, it is important that we learn from the past crises and realise that we need more enabling conditions for Member States to invest in the resilience of public services – in their facilities, equipment and personnel. It is an investment that will more than pay off in the future. EU economic governance should be sensitive to this.”

The full position is available here.

The event, moderated by CESI’s Secretary General Klaus Heeger, served to analyse and take stock of achievements of EU employment and social policy during the closing EU legislative term between 2019 and 2023 – and to sketch remaining challenges and issues that need to be addressed during the next term after the upcoming EU elections in June 2024.

Joost Korte recalled in particular the challenging political context that the EU was operating in during the last years. He stressed that after the last EU elections in 2019 nobody could foresee the acute challenges that we would face during the next years – a Covid pandemic, a war in Ukraine, surging inflation – but that EU could deliver important initiatives for workers despite resources constantly being diverted to crisis management. He named new EU directives on minimum wages, pay transparency and women on boards as examples.

Taking this further, Dragos Pislaru emphasised the importance of the investment-based approach to the social and economic consequences of the Covid pandemic. He stressed the role of the EU’s Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) to mitigate adverse consequences in the Member States and to enable them to achieve a sustainable and socially inclusive economic re-bounce. He also noted the central role that the EU’s SURE instrument (the EU’s temporary Support to mitigate Unemployment Risks in an Emergency) played to enable struggling companies to keep workers in employment during the Covid pandemic lockdowns. Without the instrument, many more workers would have been laid off into unemployment and would have needed to be re-hired and lengthely retrained after the jobs, he stressed. SURE, he concluded, enabled a relatively swift economic recovery following the worst times of the pandemic.

Javier Jordán de Urries, Vice-President of CESI and affiliate of CESI’s Spanish member union CSIF, stressed three priorities for the EU to go forward in employment and social affairs during the next years: First, the EU would need to further encourage trade union pluralism and inclusive social dialogue at the EU level and in the Member states. Second, he said, the EU would need to further advance a strong public service agenda. The vital role that public services play for many citizens, workers and businesses does not match with the year-long underinvestment that compromised on the service delivery of many parts of the public sector in Europe, he noted. More investments would be required in many parts of the public sector in many Member States – in facilities, equipment and the personnel. Third, he emphasised the need for the EU to further develop its social Acquis – ranging from a revision of EU directives on fixed-term work, part-time work and temporary agency work to a revision of exisiting EU rules on public procurement, with a view to anchoring clear criteria for decent work in tender award procedures.

All participants agreed on the need to highlight a constructive perception of the added value of the EU ahead of the EU elections in June also – and especially – in the area of employment and social affairs.

Better working conditions for healthcare professionals in the EU

January 23rd 2024 | (Brussels – European Parliament and Webex)| 11:00 – 13:00 |
Interpretation from/to ES/EN & potentially other languages will be provided

Register here

The healthcare sector in the European Union (EU) plays a critical role in ensuring the well-being of its citizens. From doctors and nurses to support staff and administrators, the healthcare workforce is the backbone of the EU’s healthcare system.

Investments at national and EU level are called upon to ensure that the need for healthcare services is meeting the demand. This event in the European Parliament aims to bring awareness and sensibility towards the tough working conditions of the healthcare professionals in the EU and to assess possible venues to improve them.

Provisional agenda

#InvestInPublicServices #SocialEurope #EU2030

10:30 Welcome & access to the European Parliament

11:00 Welcome address & introduction

Dolors Montserrat, member of the European Parliament
Klaus Heeger, Secretary General, CESI

11.15 Insights by national experts

Laura África Villaseñor Roa, SATSE
Milena Popović Samardžić, SDMCG
Marco Dons, CNV Connectief Dutch National Federation of Christian Trade Unions ‘Connectief’
Elizabeth Kuiper, Associate Director at EPC European Policy Centre

11:45 Insights by EU experts

Olga Riklikiene, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences | LSMU · Nursing Department PhD in Nursing Science
Tomas Zapata, World Health Organization WHO European Regional Office · Health Workforce and Service Delivery Unit
Paul De Raeve, European Federation of Nurses Association (EFN)

12:10 EU responses

Ines Prainsack, Member of Cabinet for Stella Kyriakides, European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, European Commission
Vilija Sysaite, Cabinet expert for Nicolas Schmit, Commissioner for Jobs & Social Rights
Danko Relic, Member of the European Economic and Social Committee (rapporteur on this opinion)

12.40 Open discussion with participants

12.50 Closing Remarks

Dolors Montserrat, member of the European Parliament
Klaus Heeger, Secretary General, CESI

13.00 End

**Background documents:
https://www.eurofound.europa.eu/sites/default/files/ef_publication/field_ef_document/ef20019en.pdf
https://www.eurofound.europa.eu/sites/default/files/ef_publication/field_ef_document/ef20020en.pdf

On November 30, 2023, CESI successfully concluded its last board meeting for the year. The meeting marked a significant moment for the organisation as it addressed key issues and set the direction for the upcoming year.

The members of CESI’s Board exchanged on a series of timely issues including the review of the year 2023 and the outlook for 2024, needs and demands of workers in the Member States, social dialogue developments, and the new positions of CESI.

Reports from the Chairs of CESI’s commissions and expert commissions added depth to the discussions, highlighting the multifaceted work carried out by CESI.

CESI Youth, an integral part of the organisation, presented its activity report and outlook for 2024, underscoring the commitment to representing the interests of younger members.

Overall, the success of the board meeting reflects CESI’s dedication to trade union pluralism, non-partisanship, and the advancement of workers’ rights across Europe. CESI remains steadfast in its commitment to a European social model based on solidarity and subsidiarity, advocating for the principles of freedom, democracy, and social justice.

On the governance of the European Year, the members of the Presidium emphasise that:

• in the future, the European Commission should run a consultation procedure well in advance of a decision to designate a particular topic to an upcoming European Year.
• the European Commission also needs to communicate awareness-raising and participation opportunities for stakeholders in future European Years earlier and more systematically.

In terms of policy issues to be further addressed in the context of the European Year of Skills, the members of the Presidium stress that:

• further awareness-raising and policy measures on reskilling and upskilling including in public services should be duly pursued in the context of the European Year of Skills.
• the European Year of Skills should further strive to highlight the importance of training opportunities for staff being fostered and encouraged by employers and policy makers.
• the principle of free movement in the Single Market and the mutual recognition of qualifications in the EU should be further improved as part of the European Year of Skills.
• EU cohesion policy and the EU’s structural and investment funds as well as the EU’s neighbourhood policy should be further tailored to mitigate causes and consequences of emigration brain drain (skills drain).
• in education specifically, the European Year of Skills should further emphasise the necessary adaption in teaching and learning to labour-market relevant digital and skills relevant to the green transition. However, it should not miss to stress that general primary and secondary education curricula must not be emptied of subjects that help young people become responsible citizens of tomorrow.
• the European Year of Skills should stress that adaptations in education programmes require sufficient investments in necessary adjusted learning and teaching material, equipment and facilities, and training for educators and teachers.
• the European Year of Skills should serve to highlight that addressing low pay, high strain and stress levels, deficient occupational health and safety, and a low recognition of the value of work in sectors with labour shortages is a precondition for workers to be willing to upskill in a sector or to re-skill into a sector.
• the European Year of Skills should emphasise that to counter teacher and trainer shortages, their employment and working conditions must improve in many Member States in order to attract, recruit and retain more talented young persons into this occupational field.

CESI Secretary General Klaus Heeger said: “The European Year of Skills aims to address skills gaps, mismatches and imbalances in and among the Member States, to put this on the political agenda of policy makers and social partners, and thus to help reskill people to become more productive in their jobs or retrain to transfer from declining sectors of employment to developing and expanding ones, in particular in the area of industrial digitalisation and greening. As CESI, we welcome this. But we also stress that an improved governance is necessary for the European Year. This pertains in particular to the need to better involve trade unions already in advance of the start of the European Year. We unions are key interlocutors for a successful awareness-raising that the European Year aims to achieve.”

The full position is available here.

CESI@noon
The new directive on fair work in platforms
26 January 2024 | 12:00-13:00 CET
Online on Zoom | In English

Register

After prolonged negotiations, the European Parliament and the Council reached a provisional agreement on the 13^th of December 2023 on a new directive to improve working conditions in platform work.

The political agreement was based on a proposal by the European Commission in 2021 and, subsequently, a report by the European Parliament and a position of the Council in 2023.

With the upcoming directive, the EU attempts to regulate the evolving landscape of platform work, aiming to strengthen the rights and enhance the protection of individuals in the gig economy. The directive is expected to bring forth two key enhancements for platform workers: It aims at determining the real employment status of people working for digital platforms with the use of a presumption of employment and 5 specific indicators; and it seeks establishing the first EU rules on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) at work.

Having participated in both stages of social partners’ consultation on the proposed directive (1^st stage, 2^nd stage), the European Confederation of Independent Trade Unions (CESI) organises an online event on the topic to shed light on questions such as:

– How does the forthcoming directive address the employment status of platform workers and what indicators have been chosen?
– How will it handle challenges related to algorithmic management and how will its provisions be complemented by the forthcoming AI Act?
– What will be the impacts of the directive on the social security of people involved in platform work?
– How could those persons that are economically active in platforms but who would not be recognised as employees under the directive be protected against abuse? How could the Guidelines of the Commission on collective agreements of the solo self-employed serve them?
– Beyond the directive, what is the role of social partners and trade unions in the platform economy and new forms of work? What are the challenges for collective representation and how to overcome them?

With the participation of:

-Klaus Heeger, Secretary General of CESI
-Ana Carla Pereira, Cabinet Expert and Employment & Social Policy Advisor to the European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights
-Leila Chaibi, Vice-Chair of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs at the European Parliament
-NN, Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union

Today, November 25 marks the annual International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

Despite significant progress in various aspects of society, a harsh reality persists — violence against women continues to plague communities around the world. Shockingly, 736 million women, equivalent to one in three, endure the devastating effects of physical or sexual violence.

The spectrum of this phenomenon is broad and deeply disturbing, ranging from domestic abuse, sexual exploitation and rapes to trafficking and femicides.

The issue infiltrates workplaces as well, manifested in derogatory comments, offensive jokes, unwanted physical contact, discrimination, bullying, and relentless harassment.

Amidst this terrifying reality, statistics reveal a stark truth: a mere 5% of global government assistance is allocated towards addressing this pervasive issue, with less than 0.2% dedicated to preventive measures.

The European Union has taken important steps in combating violence against women, notably evidenced by its recent accession to the Istanbul Convention. Without a doubt, this development underscores the EU’s commitment to fostering a safer environment for women across its member states.

However, the EU only adopted the Convention’s provisions that fall within the limits of its competences. The responsibility for implementation of the rest lies with individual Member States, which is deeply problematic since not all of them have ratified it. This situation leaves a critical gap in the comprehensive enforcement of measures designed to protect women from violence.

Hence, while the EU’s accession to the Istanbul Convention is a positive stride, continued efforts are essential to ensure uniform commitment and implementation across all member states.

On March 8 2022, the European Commission proposed a new directive on combatting violence against women and domestic violence, aiming to ensure a minimum level of protection against gender-based violence. The proposed directive is expected to work complementarily with the Istanbul Convention, reinforcing the EU’s commitment to addressing and preventing violence against women.

Today, on the annual International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, the European independent trade unions are amplifying their voices to articulate three crucial demands aimed at combatting this deplorable phenomenon.

Invest:

The urgent need to allocate funds for education, outreach, and support services takes centre stage in the fight against violence directed at women. By investing in preventative measures, societies can create a robust framework that mitigates the risk of violence and supports survivors on their path to healing.

Legislate:

Enacting and enforcing laws that explicitly define and penalise various forms of violence is a pivotal step towards legal protection for victims. Strengthening the legal apparatus will serve as a deterrent and send a clear message that society will not tolerate any form of violence against women.

Protect:

Establishing and fortifying support systems and programmes is paramount to ensuring the safety and well-being of women who have experienced violence. By creating networks of resources and assistance, survivors can find refuge and support on their journey towards reclaiming their lives.

The time for change is now. The call to stand together against violence is not exclusive to women alone; it resonates with men and women alike, advocating for a fairer and safer world.

The Autumn Package, published on Tuesday, kickstars the 2024 European Semester cycle on economic policy coordination and comprises most notably its annual Annual Sustainable Growth Survey (ASGS) and the Council’s and European Commission’s draft Joint Employment Report. The two documents argue that:

• that the EU economy remains resilient despite a slowdown and that risks related to high debt and price divergences remain relevant. It emphasises that with the general escape clause under the Stability and Growth Pact expiring at the end of 2023, fiscal policy needs to support monetary policy in reducing inflation and safeguard fiscal sustainability, while providing sufficient space for additional investments and supporting long-term growth. “Besides the need to maintain a prudent fiscal strategy, public investment needs to be maintained and, where needed increased, to support long-term growth and the green transition. To that end, governments should sustain a high level of public investment to support the green and digital transition, strengthen productivity and resilience. This will require improvements in the quality and composition of public finances on both the revenue and expenditure side, for instance by optimising the tax mix”, the reports read.
• fiscal emergency measures taken to respond to the energy price shock should be wound down as soon as possible. They underline that “protracted non-targeted fiscal support to households and firms is not the right tool in the current situation, as it increases inflationary pressures and contributes to prolonged tight monetary policy.” Instead, support to vulnerable households should be provided in a targeted manner through established social protection systems and social safety nets.
• the EU labour market “continues to perform strongly overall despite slower economic growth, even though regional disparities persist, with some population groups benefiting less.” The reports put forward that the EU employment rate reached “a record level of 75.4% in Q2-2023, while the unemployment rate fell to 6.0%, which is the lowest rate ever recorded for the EU.”

The reports conclude that policy actions at the appropriate levels should be geared towards increasing labour market participation to improve employment and social outcomes. This, according to the reports, includes reinforced active labour market policies, access to quality and affordable early childhood education and care, as well as long-term care, tax and benefit systems that support working (including by shifting taxation from labour to environmental and climate objectives), adequate working conditions and possibilities for managed legal migration, while ensuring labour and social protection rights.

The repors also conclude that despite marked wage increases in the EU in 2022 and the beginning of 2023, these remained below the high inflation rates and resulted in reduced purchasing power, affecting lower incomes the most. They find that real wages in the EU decreased by 3.7% in 2022, increasing the risk of in-work poverty. In future, “wage developments will need to strike a balance between recouping the lost purchasing power of workers, avoiding second-round effects on inflation and safeguarding the EU’s competitiveness”, the reports sum-up.

CESI Secretary General Klaus Heeger said: “As CESI, we welcome the four priorities of promoting environmental sustainability, productivity, fairness, and macroeconomic stability. We contrinue to stress that fairness for citizens and workers and their families is, however, not possible without adequate investments in public services and public administrations, including in their personnel. From education to healthcare and employment services, public services are the backbone of societies and economies too. I look forward to an adjusted macroeconomic governance framework that will keep clear budgetary deficit rules but will at the same time enable Member States to invest in the resilience of their public sector, especially also in anti-cyclical ways.”

He added: “We welcome in particular the suggestion to increasingly shift taxation from labour to environmental and climate objectives, and more generally to effectuate improvements in the public finances on the revenue side, for instance by optimising the tax mix. If fiscal support for social fairness, in particular energy subsidies for citizens, will be phased out, it will be important that taxes are allocated, collected and redistributed in a fairer manner than before. Strong corporate shoulders that have been benefitting during the recent crises should contribute more to fight poverty in societies.”

The event on November 17, 2023, served as a pivotal platform for addressing Europe’s persistent crisis and its repercussions on Lithuania. Spearheaded by CESI, the event convened stakeholders, experts, and members to delve into pressing issues under the SYNCRISIS project.

Through informative presentations and engaging discussions, participants gained valuable insights into the significance of public services and the imperative for enhanced working conditions across sectors, particularly pertinent to Lithuania’s economic landscape.

Throughout the event, speakers tackled diverse topics ranging from labour laws to sector-specific challenges, providing attendees with practical knowledge and strategic insights. The event facilitated dialogues on collective agreements, reforms in salary legislation, and measures to prevent psychological violence in the workplace.

With 116 individuals attending in person and 57 participating remotely via Zoom, the event fostered a robust exchange of ideas and perspectives, reflecting a collective commitment to advancing worker welfare and social partnership initiatives in Lithuania.

Feedback following the summit underscored its success, with attendees expressing appreciation for the informative sessions and signaling interest in future gatherings. The event not only highlighted the importance of collective action in addressing Europe’s perma-crisis but also showcased CESI’s dedication to promoting equitable working conditions and fostering a resilient workforce.

The project conference, co-financed by the European Commission, served to highlight the role that trade unions can play in the integration of refugees as a valuable workforce in understaffed labour markets.

Klaus Heeger, CESI Secretary-General, opened the conference, highlighting the importance of trade unions to secure refugees a safe and active life in their host country. He declared: “Trade unions EU-wide must be supportive in receiving and integrating refugees, especially currently also those fleeing the war in Ukraine. They must engage to help them uphold their access to fundamental rights and human dignity in their host country. As unionists, we need to do our best to ensure a level playing field or rights and services for these newcomers in our societies. Trade unions are essential in this regard.”

CESI members and affiliates discussed with experts from the European Commission and the EU agency Eurofound about EU responses to migration challenges following the Russian aggression against Ukraine. Different policy recommendations were debated, such as one-stop shops, increased funding for integration services, and an improved access to more long-term protection. A representative of the German Federal Employment Agency (BA) showcased showcased a best practice from Germany of public employment services can better contribute to a successful refugee integration into the labour market.

CESI Youth Representative Matthäus Fandrejewski (dbb Jugend) emphasised that refugees can make a significant positive impact in the understaffed labour markets. Many host countries are facing demographic challenges, with aging populations and declining birth rates, and refugees can inject fresh energy into the labour market, helping to balance the demographic shift by supporting economic growth and contributing to social welfare programs, he stressed.

It was found that host countries could address labour shortages while fostering diversity and economic growth if they tapped better the potential and skills of refugees. It was underlined that the diverse skill sets of refugees, their motivation and their ultimate contribution as a workforce can make them an invaluable asset for economic growth. In sum, participants agreed that more inclusive, vibrant, and thriving labour markets that benefit both refugees and the host community are possible if refugees’ potential is adequately recognised and harnessed.

A collection of video clips from the conference are available on CESI’s Youtube channel.

In its mandate to enter trilogue negotiations with the Council, the European Parliament plenary on Tuesday specified that in public procurement tender procedures related to the currently negotiated Net Zero Industry Act, there should be an “environmental and social sustainability contribution” which should be based on criteria including “decent wages and working conditions”. The criteria should be weighted as 30% in tender application evaluations, according to the text adopted by the European Parliament.

CESI Secretary General Klaus Heeger said: “We welcome the vote of the European Parliament on its position on the European Commission’s proposal for a Net Zero Industry Act. This wording would make sure that tender applicants could not totally ignore working conditions and make lowest offers only based on social dumping and abusive working conditions. Vast amounts of public money will be spent in the framework of the Net Zero Industry Act through public procurement, so the impact that social criteria in the Act can make for decent work are significant.”

He added: “We must make sure that public investments in green transitions will go hand in hand with decent work and employment. We cannot afford to achieve CO2 neutrality on the back of workers. The social and the environmental must go together. Everything else is unsustainable and will bring social and economic losses and adverse consequences in the future. We support the European Parliament’s report in the upcoming trilogue negotiations with the Council.”

Organised by CESI on November 17 and 18, the event focused on the urgent need for resilient public services amidst multiple crises. Held over two days in Budapest, the event gathered key decision-makers and public service workers to address pressing issues.

The first day commenced with Péterné Boros’s opening remarks, stressing the importance of well-equipped public services. Sessions tackled topics such as the impact of inflation on municipal governments, the requisites of resilient societies, and the lingering effects of COVID-19 on the cultural sector and environmental protection administration.

The day concluded with the MKKSZ Youth national meeting, where Róbert Szokolai discussed the effects of inflation on Hungarian youth.

The second day centered on poverty alleviation strategies, with Tamás Boros presenting insights into the interconnected impact of COVID-19, inflation, and war on domestic poverty levels.

The conference underscored the imperative of equipping public service workers with adequate resources and support to ensure societal resilience. Insights gleaned are poised to inform policy decisions aimed at enhancing the efficacy of public services in Hungary and beyond.

After two successful events in Budapest and Iași, CESI completed the first round of ‘WeEP24’ events for this year with hybrid national events in Paris, Berlin, Luxembourg, Krakow, and Madrid.

The WeEP24 project, which is co-funded by the European Parliament, aims to uphold political pluralism and foster citizen and worker participation in the upcoming European elections 2024.

The backdrop of economic crises, the global Covid-19 pandemic, and the conflict in Ukraine underscored the need for a robust European Union and emphasised the role of public services within a stronger European dimension.

In this frame, the WeEP24 project wants to raise awareness of the EU’s role and democratic values by engaging workers in selected countries, fostering debates on democratic participation in the coming elections.

The series of hybrid training events organised by the CESI Project Team and local change-makers served as a cornerstone in achieving the project’s objectives. The events, conducted in both English and the respective national languages, brought together CESI member organisations and their affiliates.

The overarching goal of the events was to highlight the significance and impact of European legislation at the national level, address specific issues outlined in the Eurobarometer for each hosting country, promote the together.eu platform, share tools developed by the European Parliament DG Comm, and mobilise participants and their networks for the upcoming elections.

The events provided a platform for fruitful discussions on democratic participation, allowing participants to delve into the intricacies of European legislation and its implications at the national level. The focus on country-specific issues, as highlighted by the Eurobarometer, ensured that the discussions were not only relevant but also tailored to the concerns of each participating nation.

Moreover, the promotion of the together.eu platform and the sharing of tools developed by the European Parliament DG Comm added a practical dimension to the events. Participants gained valuable insights into resources that could aid them in effectively communicating the importance of European elections to their networks.

The collaborative efforts of CESI, change-makers, and participants laid a solid foundation for a more informed and engaged electorate as we move closer to this crucial democratic exercise.

Photo galleries:

Paris, 9 October 2023:

Berlin, 20 October 2023:

Luxembourg, 26 October 2023:

Krakow, 27 October 2023:

Madrid, 7 November 2023:

In an era of geopolitical upheavals around the world, the importance of a robust Europe that stays united cannot be overstated.

As the international community tries to find solutions against the armed conflicts in Ukraine, the Middle East, the Sahel Zone, in Nagorno-Karabakh, in Kosovo/Serbia and many other places, the narrative of a strong Europe as a beacon of stability must emerge.

With its commitment to dialogue and cooperation, the European Union (EU) can and must play a pivotal role in mediating conflicts, promoting peace, and upholding the principles of international law.

Despite certain institutional weaknesses, the EU has a 70 year-long tradition of choosing dialogue over confrontation. It might sound self-evident, but it cannot be taken for granted in today’s world.

Compared to other regions of the world, the EU has managed to maintain economic strength in the face of repeated crises, showcasing relative resilience and robustness. So far, and despite the negative impacts of the inflation on workers and citizens, the EU has demonstrated a capacity to weather economic storms and sustained stability better than other regions.

And its emphasis on human rights and democracy stands for our global liberal order – under threat in unforeseen manners.

Yet the legitimate questions of citizens and workers will always remain: “What is the EU good for? What is in for me?”

Through a series of national events, CESI – with the support of its national members – has been organising a multitude of conferences in a different Member States, from Romania to Spain, from Germany over Luxemburg to France, from Italy to Hungary. And more countries are yet to be covered.

The focus of the events ranges from the necessity of well-performing public services in times of crises to the reception and integration of refugees; from the needs of workers in green-digital transitions to the promotion of young trade unionists within CESI´s network; from the importance of the EU in times of multi- and permacrises to the importance of a participation in the 2024 EU elections.

Some may ask why. “What is in for us? Why is this the role of trade unions?”

My answer to this is simple. The overarching objectives of these events of CESI are similar to the ones of the EU in the current world (dis)order. In times of crises nothing matters more than solidarity and cooperation.

We wish you a peaceful and serene Advent season.

Dear members, friends and partners,

On November 21st 2023 you are warmly invited to join us at a hybrid event (in Vienna and online via Zoom) for the conference of CESI’s EU-co-funded project on:

Refugee Reception and Integration

Building welcoming communities through resilient and performing public administrations and services

November 21st 2023 | Wien 1010, Schenkenstraße 4 und via Zoom| 14:00 – 17:00
Interpretation from/to DE/EN

Register here

Recent years in Europe have been marked by a state of perma-crisis during which public administrations and service and their staff have been put under enormous pressure to perform well and more – in situations that have been extremely difficult for them.

This has been most recently and dramatically exhibited by the Covid crisis but was equally evident in other previously challenging times such as the 2008 financial and economic crisis, the fight against terrorism, and the 2015 migration crisis.

Based on the experience made in the aftermath of the latter, and confronted with the migration consequences of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, public services and administrations in Europe are play a fundamental role in the reception and integration of displaced people, including refugees, asylum seekers, and internally displaced persons (IDPs) – among them millions of refugees from Ukraine who are falling under EU Temporary Protection.

As the quality of the public services performed – in particular by local and regional governments – is essential for the smooth reception and integration of refugees, this conference aims to shed light on the respective challenges and needs, and on different possible strategies to provide a welcoming environment, among them access to basic services (such as healthcare, education and housing), labour market integration, language courses, and skilling opportunities.

Agenda

#InvestInPublicServices #ACTIVER #SocialEurope #EU2030

14:00 Welcome & registration

14:30 Welcome address & introduction

Norbert Schnedl, CESI Vice-President and President of European Federation of Public Services Employees (EUROFEDOP), GÖD

Klaus Heeger, Secretary General, CESI

Tommaso Grossi, moderator of the conference

14.40 Keynote address

Alberto Horst-Neidhart, Senior Policy Analyst and Head of the European Diversity and Migration programme, European Policy Center (EPC)

Catherine Woollard, Director of the European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE), (tbc)

15:10 Insights by experts: EU responses to migration

Katerina Dimitrakopoulou, Head of Sector – Integration, Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs (DG HOME), European Commission

Klara Fóti, Senior Policy Manager, Eurofound

Otto Aiglsperger, President of the CESI Expert Commission ‘Public Administrations’, GÖD/Eurofedop

Heather Roy, Board Member, Social Services Europe, (video message)

15.30 Coffee break

16.00 Insights by experts: Strong public services

Daniel Terzenbach, Member of the Executive Board of the German Federal Employment Agency, responsible for regions
(video message)

Javier Jordan de Urries Sagarna, Vice-President of CESI, Spanish Central Independent for Public Employees’ Trade Union (CSIF)

Matthäus Fandrejewski, dbb jugend and CESI Youth Representative

Elisabeth Schmidt-Hieber, Advisor Advocacs for SOS Children’s Villages Austria

16.30 Closing Remarks

Lukas Mandl, Member of the European Parliament

Klaus Heeger, Secretary General, CESI

Tommaso Grossi, moderator of the conference

17.00 End of the conference

CESI’s member CSIF, the Spanish Central Independent and Public Employees’ Trade Union, issued a press release on November 13th, 2023, emphasising its commitment to defending the equality of citizens before the law, judicial independence, and equal access to public services across Spain. The union expresses concerns about recent investiture agreements, warning of potential economic imbalances between regions and the compromise of public service quality.

CSIF outlines its firm opposition to various measures, including political interference in judicial independence, breaches of constitutional principles like equality and solidarity among territories, and ‘à la carte’ modifications to the Workers’ Statute. The union condemns actions that could lead to fragmentation in the health sector and the transfer of exclusive competencies, such as Social Security management, to specific territories.

The press release underscores CSIF’s dedication to preventing the erosion of the rule of law, economic imbalances, and inequality among citizens. CSIF pledges to demand economic justice for all territories, advocate for structural reforms to strengthen public services, and resist any attempts to relinquish the state’s exclusive competences in labour legislation, public administration, university qualifications, and social security regulations. The union also announces plans to intensify actions at various levels, including engagement with Spanish institutions, regional parliaments, and the European Union through CESI.

CSIF emphasises its commitment to ensuring high-quality public services for all citizens and safeguarding the independence and legal certainty of public employees.

Read the full press release here in English and here in Spanish.

In the consultation statement, CESI broadly supports the European Commission’s consideration of an EU measure (1) to support the prevention, detection and combating of the problematic use of traineeships and to support trainees in accessing the rights to which they are entitled, (2) to improve the quality of traineeships by supporting fair working conditions, including remuneration and access to social protection, and an adequate learning and training component; and (3) to foster the inclusiveness of traineeships and equal access to traineeship opportunities in the EU.

CESI specifies in its contribution that:

• a possible list of elements pointing at the misuse of a traineeship should be non-exhaustive and binding provided that this does not compromise on aspects of legal certainty.
• the existing recommendation of a maximum duration of a traineeship of no more than 6 months should be made binding, with exceptions only allowed if specified objectives reasons exist.
• an initiative of the EU should require Member States to ensure that their responsible national authorities carry out dedicated checks and inspections to detect and enforce the compliance of traineeships with EU law, national law or collective agreements.
• supporting measures to ensure that trainees can gain effective access to existing labour rights to which they are entitled should imperatively include an explicit reference to the role of trade unions and trade unionism in this regard.
• with a view to the Fixed-Term Work and Part-Time Work Directives, an initiative of the EU should specify at least for trainees who are classified as workers that being a trainee does not constitute an objective ground justifying less favourable treatment by reference to the employment conditions of a comparable permanent or full time worker.
• concerning pay/remuneration, the policy objective of an EU measure should remain that curricular internships should always need to include an allowance to cover the costs of living (transport, accommodation, food). CESI considers this an important aspect to achieve non-discrimination: The presence or absence of a financial capacity of the family of a young person should not condition his/her prospect and opportunities to take on traineeships to optimise career starts in labour markets. CESI notes that for all other traineeships that are not required by educational degree curricula, the minimum wage or alternatively an applicable collective bargaining agreement in place should be taken as guideline or reference for pay/remuneration.
• a binding access to adequate social protection remains imperative for trainees. At least all persons in traineeships that are not required by educational degree curricula should be covered by statutory social protection. CESI considers that the inclusion of trainees in statutory social protection systems would not alter the financial equilibrium thereof. A requirement for unanimous voting in the Council should not preclude a legislative proposal of the European Commission for this aspect.
• a new initiative of the EU should turn the 2014 Quality Framework for Traineeships (QFT) principles on the conclusion of a written traineeship agreement, including information on educational objectives and working conditions, into a legal obligation applicable at least to trainees who are workers. CESI also considers that The EU initiative should strengthen the provision of information on mentoring, supervision and evaluation.

CESI Secretary General Klaus Heeger said: “As CESI, we consider that – wherever the Treaties provide for this – a binding EU measure is the appropriate way to improve the quality of traineeships in Europe. Where unanimity in the Council is required for the adoption of a binding measures, the European Commission not take this reason to not issue a proposal for a binding measure in the first place.”

CESI’s full second-phase consultation contribution is available here.

According to EU-OSHA, addressing the impact of technologies like robots or artificial intelligence (AI) and new forms of work such as digital platform work and remote work, its newest Healthy Workplaces Campaign, which runs from 2023 to 2025, aims to promote collaboration, enhance awareness, and encourage a safe and productive use of digital technologies across diverse sectors and workplaces.

CESI Secretary General Klaus Heeger said: “As a European social partner and an interest group of workers from across Europe, helping to shape the evolving digitalisation of work in a constructive, proactive way is essential for CESI. Digitalisation is a fact and reality, and it is up to all involved stakeholders to manage it in a sustainable manner and to the benefit for all concerned actors.”

He added: “The 2023-25 ‘Safe and healthy work in the digital age’ campaign of the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) is a key instrument for CESI to further explore challenges that digitalisation can mean for work environments, to assess how digital work can be deployed in safe ways, and to increase awareness, knowledge and expertise among its members on ways in which digital technologies can actually improve occupational health and safety. To this end, the campaign will be an important platform for CESI engage in exchanges of best practices with companies, unions, and further stakeholders from across Europe.”

More information about CESI partnership in and contribution to the campaign is available on EU-OSHA’s website.

Their discussion focused on the possibilities to reinforce the European Youth Guarantee in Germany and enhance its effectiveness. The European Youth Guarantee aims to ensure that unemployed people under 30 years of age are offered either a job, an internship or further training within a period of four months.

The dbb Jugend has been a strong advocate for the European Youth Guarantee programme, which has shown first very promising results in reducing youth unemployment and improving young people’s career opportunities.

Omid Nouripour, a member of the German Bundestag and advocate for youth rights, expressed his support for the European Youth Guarantee initiative and outlined potential legislative actions to bolster its impact in Germany.

Matthäus Fandrejewski stressed that despite one of the lowest rates for youth unemployment, the situation of many young people on the German labour market still appears grim. Investing in a reinforced Youth Guarantee schemes could be an important element to alleviate their situation, he stressed, and added a skilled and empowered youth is a key for the prospects of young people in evolving labour markets – and for Germany’s economic competitiveness. He emphasised that major investments and commitments are needed to improve young people’s skills and to create future-proof reskilling and upskilling opportunities. He also noted that refugee integration and further support of young people in the country must go hand in hand in order to effectively and efficiently address labour shortages in the employment market.

On October 10, CESI Expert Commission on “Education” was hosted by its French teachers’ union SPELC in Paris.

Under the aegis of CESI’s SYNCRISIS project, the members continued the discussion on the consequences brought by the post-Covid era, by the war in Ukraine and inflation, which, together with other challenges, have been having a major impact on the teacher profession.

A so-called ‘crisis of vocation’ in the teaching profession is namely causing worrisome teachers’ shortages across all Europe. The education sector has long faced issues of understaffing, which has been exacerbated by the recent crises, leading to work overload, burnout, and a decline in the wellbeing in schools.
Many educational institutions lack the necessary infrastructure and modern equipment to provide a conducive learning environment. This issue has become more pronounced with the shift to online and hybrid learning models during the COVID-19 pandemic. Ensuring that schools are well-equipped with the latest technology and resources is crucial for the continuity and effectiveness of education.

Corinne Heckmann from the OECD in Paris held a presentation on teachers’ shortages, exacerbated in recent years by factors like unsatisfactory salaries, high stress due to administrative workloads and an ageing workforce. The TALIS survey, which covers teachers’ opinions across 48 education systems, reveals significant dissatisfaction related to the recognition and valuation of the teaching profession, pointing to a need for systemic changes to improve teacher retention and job satisfaction. To address these challenges, the report recommends improving salaries, reducing administrative tasks, enhancing professional development, investing in school infrastructure, and promoting the societal value of teaching. Supporting young teachers with mentorship programs is also crucial to retain talent in the profession.

All participants agreed that on the one hand there are always higher expectations on teachers, while on the other hand the respect towards the profession is lower, from the society in general.

Luc Viehé, former President of the French SPELC union and Vice-president of the EDUC expert Commission recalled CESI’ s advocacy work to better value the teaching profession through its Manifesto, declaring “In the framework of the European Education Area, if we focus our efforts on the needs and challenges faced by teachers, we can build a more resilient and effective education system capable of supporting students through current and future crises. Teachers are at the forefront of shaping future generations, and their well-being and professional support are crucial to the success of this endeavor”.

In the field of employment and social affairs, the most important new announced initiative – even if already long-awaited – should strengthen European Works Councils and update of the EU’s quality framework for traineeships. Moreover, the work programme announces that “together with the Belgian Presidency, the Commission will convene a Social Partner Summit in Val Duchesse to discuss the challenges facing our labour markets, workers and businesses, including from skills and labour shortages, and artificial intelligence”. In the work programme, the European Commission also sets out plans for “a series of … clean transition dialogues with industry and social partners” to ensure socially fair green and digital transitions.

Beyond this, the work programme sums up a positive conclusion of the European Commission’s employment and social policy agenda during the last years: “Significant progress has been made in implementing the European Pillar of Social Rights through its action plan and 2030 headline targets”, citing numerous examples. An emphasis is placed on the adoption of pending proposals including those on strengthened equality bodies and fair working conditions in platforms.

CESI Secretary General Klaus Heeger said: “During its term, the European Commission has pursued important initiatives also in the area of employment and social affairs, under difficult and often unforeseeable circumstances. We must not forget that the Covid pandemic and the outbreak of a war in Ukraine meant that it had to divert a lot resources to acute crisis management. Despite this, we have seen very important proposals on minimum wages or pay transparency.”

He added: “But we see an urgent need for further initiatives by the next college of European Commissioners in the area of employment and social affairs. Above all, we need a revision of EU rules on fixed-term work, part-time work and temporary agency work because the current frameworks leave leeway for precarious work and discrimination vis-à-vis ‘regular’ employees. We are also asking for a revision of the EU directives and regulations on public procurement, concessions and state aid in order to root social conditionalities in them. Governments should only allocate public money to businesses that pay decent wages, respect collective bargaining and unionism and guarantee safe and healthy work environments. This would bring decent work to a high number of employees across the continent.”

Klaus Heeger concluded: “A new adjusted economic governance framework for the EU must enable sufficient public investments in resilient public services – based on clear rules and criteria. If we have learnt anything from the poly- and permacrisis that we are currently living in, is that we need functioning and performing public services across the board – and that is cheaper than trying to correct errors when a crisis has already started. For this, new potential public revenues may be needed – revenues that are currently lost because of illicit tax evasion and unethical tax avoidance by large multinationals.”

Poverty remains a serious concern worldwide, affecting millions of people across all continents. Over the past few decades, significant progress has been made in the EU in the fight against poverty, thanks to collective efforts by governments, organizations, and communities.

However, this fight has gradually lost its momentum with the recent global events and rising costs of living/ inflation. The United Nations Special Rapporteur on poverty and human rights, Olivier de Schutter already warned about this situation when he declared:

‘Whether in Europe, where inflation has hit a record high of 10 per cent, or sub-Saharan Africa where food prices have risen by nearly 24 per cent, household budgets across the world are being stretched beyond breaking point, meaning even more people in poverty. (…) As with the COVID-19 pandemic, it is once again the most vulnerable that are paying the price of world events. The combined crises are expected to throw an additional 75 to 95 million people into extreme poverty this year alone.’

European countries are experiencing a rise of in-work-poverty, with 1 in 10 EU workers in such conditions. In today’s article: ‘Workers will remain trapped in poverty until governments respect trade union rights’, in reference to the need of governments ensuring living wages for all workers, he pleades in favour of ensuring living wages for all workers.

A living wage is the income necessary for a worker to meet their basic needs, including food, shelter, and healthcare, without relying on government assistance or additional employment.

Klaus Heeger, CESI Secretary General said: ‘Europe needs living wages and more trade union representation to combat the working poor phenomenon. We need to ensure that our growth is reflected in extending social safety net programs, to those in need, offering a lifeline and access to basic services to vulnerable groups. On the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, it is crucial to reaffirm our commitment to the goal of ending poverty in all its forms. Trade unions, social dialogue, and collective bargaining are crucial tools for negotiating fair wages. Encouraging workers to join unions and engage in collective bargaining can help secure living wages.’

The International Day for the Eradication of Poverty serves as a reminder for the goal of eradicating poverty and creating a world where every individual can enjoy a life of dignity and opportunity.

Gravely shocked by the horrible attack on Israel launched by the terrorist organization Hamas and its supporters,

Appalled by the brutality and inconceivable contempt for human lives and dignity – even beyond death – of the aggression which cannot be justified by any means,

We, the members of the Presidium of the European Confederation of Independent Trade Unions (CESI),

• strongly and firmly condemn the despicable attacks of the terrorist organization Hamas against Israeli citizens and the Israelian armed forces,
• express our deepest compassion with all victims and affected people and our condolences towards their families and friends,
• stand with Israel and its undisputed right to self-defence, and united against the despicable evil displayed during the attack,
• insist that those who planned and executed the attacks on Israel must be brought to justice and held accountable for their crimes,
• demand that all hostages are returned immediately, without being further hurt and misused as human shields,
• urge all sides to act with moderation, to respect International Humanitarian Law, and to avoid civilian casualties.

Full resolution as PDF

In discussion with counterparts from the European Commission, the participants emphasised: The health care workforce is the backbone of our health care systems, tirelessly working to provide essential care to patients. While they are dedicated to healing others, it is crucial to recognise that health care professionals themselves are not immune to the pressures and challenges of their profession. Health care professionals often face intense stress and emotional burdens as part of their daily work. Long hours, high patient demands, and the ever-present spectrum of life-and-death decisions can take a toll on their mental health. The COVID-19 pandemic further exacerbated these challenges, as health care workers were on the front lines, witnessing the devastating effects of the virus.

Klaus Heeger, CESI Secretary General, stressed the specific need for awareness raising about mental health issues in the work place: “Encouraging open discussions about mental health can reduce the stigma surrounding it and make it easier for health care workers to seek help when needed.”

Esther Reyes and Paloma Repila from the Spanish health SATSE underlined: “Health care institutions but also trade unions should provide confidential counseling and support services to their employees. Offering resilience training can help health care workers build emotional and psychological resilience to cope with stress. Health care organisations should better promote work-life balance by implementing reasonable working hours and ensuring adequate time off.”

Dolores Martínez from the Spanish health union SAE emphasised the importance of access for health care staff to dedicated mental health services: “Health care institutions should make it easy for their employees to access mental health services, such as therapy and counseling. It is time to prioritise the mental health of those who dedicate their lives to healing others.”

Interventions from all participants have showcased the need for long-term investments to address health care professionals understaffing.

Issues that were raised towards the European Commission were compiled in a position paper with policy demands, available here.

On October 2 2023, firefighter unions affiliated to CESI convened to launch a call for action to increase investments in the firefighting sector and better equip Member States in their fight against extreme forest fires.

The meeting took place against the background of this season’s heavy wildfires in particular in Southern Europe – especially that in Alexandroupolis, Northern Greece, which raged for many days, consuming hectares of forested areas, residential neighbourhoods and farmland amounting to the size of Paris and Berlin cities combined.

Firefighter unions affiliated in CESI are concerned that wildfires are becoming a growing regional and global concern, affecting entire ecosystems, communities, and economies – while firefighting services are under-resourced and overburdened. In recent years, the frequency and intensity of wildfires in the EU have risen significantly, posing a grave threat to people, property, and the environment. According to EFFIS (the European Forest Fire System) the worrisome 2023 figures for EU wildfires and drought reflect more than 182,569 burnt hectares with more than 40% above the average recorded over the period from 2003 to 2022 (128,225 hectares). Despite this undeniable reality, firefighting capacities in the EU are shrinking, with substantial understaffing capacities in most Member States, leaving a vacuum which cannot be compensated by any other public service.

The call for action was attended by the European Commission’s Civil Protection Mechanism team and the EU Agency of the Space Programme (EUSPA), which showcased resources such as the EU Space Programme and the European Forest Fire System (EFFIS) – tools which could be made available also for firefighters to improve or streamline their capacities.

Hans Das, Director for Emergency Management and rescEU at he European Commission, was very clear: “More investments are needed to counteract the increasing incidence of extreme weather events, together with more EU cooperation in the field of civil protection and humanitarian aid”, he stressed.

Klaus Heeger, Secretary General of CESI, called on EU Member States to make the necessary investments in the vital services performed by firefighters. “It is imperative that we take proactive measures to mitigate the climate-related risks of wildfires and floods, enhance preparedness, and respond effectively when disasters strike. For this we need sufficient and well paid firefighting teams made available all across Europe”, he emphasised.

Antonis Koukouzas, President of the Greek firefighters’ union ‘Epayps’ noted: “By learning from the tragic event of Alexandroupolis we should already start implementing the lessons learnt and not lose time to prepare for the 2024 wildfire season. There is no better way to fight fires than through fire prevention strategies, including stricter regulations on campfires, public awareness campaigns, and controlled burns.”

Alain Laratta, Secretary General of the firefighters’ union ‘Avenir Secours’ highlighted that one of the greatest strengths of Europe is its ability to foster cooperation among its Member States. He noted that the European Union’s Civil Protection Mechanism enables countries to pool resources, expertise, and equipment when wildfires rage across national borders. This cooperative approach ensures a rapid and coordinated response to fire emergencies, he stressed and added: “France is one of the biggest contributors in the Mechanism. More should be done for EU countries to combat the fire blazes. An EU Strategy to combat forest fires would help streamline the assistance given; a European minimum standard of practices in the form of a European Firefighter’s Statute would also create a better minimum level playing field for the firefighters, for instance in terms of personal protective equipment and insurance coverages.”

Vasileios Kalogirou from the EU Agency of the Space Programme (EUSPA) showcased how satellite technology from EGNOS, Galileo, Copernicus, GOVSATCOM & IRIS and Space Situational Awareness can serve the firefighters’ operations. He said: “Europe is at the forefront of technological innovation and scientific research through state-of-the-art equipment and access to advanced fire-monitoring systems such as EFFIS. Satellites and drones equipped with infrared sensors can detect wildfires at an early stage, enabling a swift response.” He mentioned that the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) works tirelessly to improve the understanding of wildfire behaviour and mitigation techniques.

CESI’s call for action made clear: In light of this year’s wildfire season and the challenges it posed, the firefighting profession in the EU needs to be lifted to the importance and life-saving role it has. More investments in this profession are needed to mitigate inadequate workloads, work-induced stress, heat stress and injuries, smoke inhalation, dehydration, fatigue and underpay. Europe’s added value in fighting wildfires lies in its spirit of cooperation, technological advancements, skilled personnel, and dedication to prevention and preparedness – but it should also bring forward a cohesive EU approach to combatting fires based on mutual learning, sharing of best practices and minimum standards of safety and work ethics.

As in previous years, workers still find ourselves squeezed in a permacrisis, which has become a veritable a perma-poly-crisis with far-reaching consequences for workers. Inflation continues to eat purchasing power, and central bankers’ efforts to bring it down increasingly risks to choke off economies and bring higher unemployment.

Unions and social partners are much needed to help employers, policy makers and fiscal partners to achieve an ambitious but careful balance combing higher wages, fiscal support measures and monetary policy to ensure a growing economy and decent jobs with adequate wages.

https://www.cesi.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/VID-20231009-WA0004.mp4

Dear members, partners, and friends,

In Brussels, as in national capitals around Europe, summer recess is over and politics is again in full swing again. Welcome back to the crisis mode of before the summer – and of the last years.

The European Commission’s summer economic forecast, issued on September 11, found that the growth of the EU economy slows down more than expected, projecting a sluggish increase of just 0.8% in 2023.

Clearly, the EU economy is starting to pay tribute for the late (and perhaps too late) efforts of the European Central Bank (ECB) to bring down inflation in the Euro zone, which still stands at 6.5%. In September, the ECB’s Governing Council raised the Euro zone interest rates for the 10^th time in 60 weeks. While intended as a monetary policy to bring down inflation, risks to choke off the economy are mounting.

No good news for workers and their jobs and purchasing power. What is particularly worrying: Energy prices have decreased, but costs of other essential goods and services – in particular food and nutrition – have been resurging. What if, on top, a cold winter will drive up gas and electricity prices once again?

Clearly, policy makers must be on duty for workers during the next months. They need to work to bring down prices and safeguard jobs in a thriving economy.

As the political summer recess ends, CESI is also back on duty for workers. Based on our position on impacts of surging inflation on workers, we want to play a constructive role in a balanced response to the inflation and cost-of living crisis – involving policy makers and fiscal policy, central bankers and monetary policy, and social partners and collective bargaining.

With a recession looming, we also need good news for workers’ jobs and support on all fronts. Also here, CESI is back on duty.

Through our new EU co-funded project on active labour market policies (‘Activer’) we want to make sure that workers will be well-equipped and supported to work in greening and digitalising jobs. Nobody should be left behind in the profound transformations that jobs and labour markets are currently experiencing.

And through our continuing project ‘Syncrisis’, equally co-funded by the EU, we want to establish how public services and their personnel can be rendered more resilient to face the perma- und polycrisis that we are living in, to the benefit of workers and citizens.

It could not be timelier: In the area of environment, firefighters have been busy fighting dramatic forest fires across the continent. In the area of defence, supporting military support to Ukraine and further developing the EU’s military strength remains paramount. In the area of health, Covid may see a return to light, with a new and still relatively unknown variant, BA.2.86 or `Pirola’, developing and spreading. And in the area of education, social affairs and employment, the reception and inclusion of refugees, among them the many from Ukraine and African countries, remains a real challenge.

Are we all – workers, unions, public services – ready for this? Stay tuned to find out at one of our next conferences in Berlin on October 29, in Madrid on November 8 and in Vienna on November 21!

In the consultation contribution, CESI calls for a new, binding and ambitious EU measure to improve the quality of traineeships – unless the European cross-sector social partners can agree on a comparable, effective alternative social partner agreement.

CESI Secretary General Klaus Heeger said: “Young people in the EU are far too often victims of low-quality, unpaid or abusive work conditions during their traineeships. 1 in 3 youngsters report working for free during their internships. With youth unemployment still high, the cost of living on the rise and the effects of the pandemic on youth still being felt, many young people are at risk of poverty.”

He added: “Additional protective measures are urgently needed to ensure that young people have access to quality traineeship experiences in which they gain the practical experience needed to later access the labour market and find stable quality jobs. These measures must specifically ensure that these opportunities provide meaningful learning experiences and contribute to the development of employability skills, while providing access to fair and decent pay, social protection and healthcare.”

In view of this, CESI’s consultation contribution calls for an EU-level measure which should in particular:

• set up clear standards and guidelines for traineeships across Europe, promoting access to social protection, healthcare, insurances and pension with clear references and indicators for quality, transparency, and fairness.
• specify the significance of appropriate guidance and supervision for trainees and put in place a mechanism to monitor learning outcomes.
• set the frame for an adequate recognition and validation of traineeships as valuable experiences on participants’ educational and professional journeys.
• encourage Members States and their labour inspectorates to monitor improvements in the overall quality of traineeships.
• clarify that trainees have access to trade union and workers’ representation rights.

The full consultation contribution, which was developed in close cooperation with CESI Youth, is available here.