|
 |
. |
|||||||||
|
Introduction At the forefront of the events in 2001 was the 8th EUCDW Congress on 26th November 2001, which was attended by over 100 delegates and guests. There were representatives from twenty-one of the 22 Member Organisations. The motto for the congress was: "Enlarge the EU geographically and strengthen it politically". For a total of four days the representatives of the Christian Social workers were invited to discuss, exchange opinions and develop concepts for the future. The subjects were the then forthcoming introduction of the EURO and the expansion of the EU to central, eastern and southern Europe. With Elmar Brok MEP, Horst Günther MdB (Member of the German Bundestag), Jan Kulakowski, Fritz Neugebauer and Miet Smet MEP, the congress had excellent speakers. The year 2001 had begun successfully for the EUCDW at the EPP Congress in Berlin. One achievement was to securely anchor the principle of the "Social Market Economy" in the EPP's programme. Another success was the drawing up of a resolution together with more competition-orientated representatives within the EPP which contains a clear reference to the EPP's fundamental Christian Democratic values. A prerequisite for the social market economy is the absolute necessity that freedom and solidarity are united and that economic and social politics have an equal standing. Every EPP Member Party must allow itself to be judged according to the fundamental values and principles - freedom, solidarity, subsidiarity, competition, democracy, states bound by the rule of law. The above fundamental principles must be applied in practice in concrete political dossiers. Last year for example, the EUCDW stood up for observing social criteria, particularly with regard to "Provision of Existential Requirements - Services of General Interest" It must not be the case that a safe provision with gas, water and electricity and the police, fire brigade and ambulance services become dependent exclusively on income due to uncontrolled privatisation. The provision of existential requirements is more: it goes beyond the single market and encompasses the entire European Social Model. The protection of workers was at the centre of the EUCDW's action against the planned Take-over Directive. With regard to social peace, the fact that the present Directive was rejected was a success for the European Parliament. We will continue our efforts in this area. Further significant successes for worker participation included the adoption of a corresponding directive with regard to the European Company. This paved the way for the Regulation on this new type of European company which offers the prospects of greater competitiveness and consequently economic growth and more jobs. In answer to any criticism of the regulations which have now been created: social policy has done its homework; it is now a matter of improving tax conditions. The EUCDW also welcomes the fact that the European Parliament, with its report on the "European employee council", has presented question and proposals for improving this Directive from 1994. The Commission is now called upon to present corresponding concrete proposals. Finally I would like to point out that the EUCDW drew attention to the failure of the institution of "Governmental Conferences" at an early stage and called for a Convention to Elaborate a New EU Treaty. The work of the European Convention will then also be one of the main subjects for 2002 and 2003. It must be clear that social policy and employment policy are topics of European interest and within the area of European responsibility. Collaboration is also necessary regarding the reform of the social security systems. Anyone who wants to turn back the clock in this area contradicts the aim of creating a Europe of the People and consequently contradicts the aim of the EPP: the European Political Union. A word of thanks to all those who have been involved in the EUCDW, particularly with the preparation and conducting of the congress. I would like to give a personal mention to Alexander von Schwerin, our political Secretary-General, and to Christoph Weißkirchen, our deputy political Secretary-General. Thanks also to Corinne Deleu, who worked for the EUCDW from October until December. Thank you as well for the good collaboration with the worker group of the EPP group within the European Parliament. Luc Delanghe President
Activities The following meetings of the EUCDW took place during the year:
On 26th November 2001 the 8th EUCDW Congress took place in Brussels.The motto for the congress was "Enlarge the EU geographically and strengthen it politically". An extensive guide application was passed on this subject. Other motions dealt with the "employment policy", "safety and health protection at work" and "workers' participation" (see: Resolutions of the congress). Statements were drawn up in three working groups on the following subjects:
The
fact that the Member Organisations were pleased with the work of the
presidency was also shown by the fact that President Luc Delanghe was
re-elected (unanimously) as were four vice-presidents: Fritz Neugebauer
(First Vice-President), Elmar Brok, Richard Hesse and Domenec Sesmilo
Rius. Christoph Jussac is a new addition which means there is now a
representative of the French ESP. Thanks were expressed to Edgar Schiedermeier,
the outgoing Secretary-General.
The Board The Board met twice: on 12th May 2001 in Hotel Don Jaime, Castelldefels, / Barcelona and on 24th November 2001 in "Aeropolis" / Brussels. The
discussion at the meeting in Barcelona focussed on the subject of "Living
and Working in the E-Society". Other topics discussed included the reports
on "the provision of existential requirements", on the planned "Take-over
Directive" (which was stopped by a majority in the Parliament) on the
"European Company" / on the "European Employees' Council" and on "Supplementary
Pension Funds for Protection in Old Age". In November, directly before
the congress, talks were held to fix the future work structures in the
Board and Presidency.
Presidency The EUCDW Presidium met four times: in Hotel Crowne Plaza City Center, Berlin, on 10.01.2001, in the European Parliament in Strasbourg on 05.04.2001, in the European Parliament in Strasbourg on 05.07.2001 and in Hotel Best Western Arosa in Paderborn on 13.10.2001. The
focus of the meeting in Berlin was on preparing the EPP Congress, in
Strasbourg in April it was on the "European Social Agenda" and the reports
on "Supplementary Pension Funds in the European Single Market" and on
"the Provision of Existential Requirements - Services of general interest
in Europe". At the centre of the meeting in July 2001 was a talk with
Hans-Gert Poettering, the president of the EPP parliamentary party.
The main area of the discussion was on the profile of the EPP/ED parliamentary
party and its Christian Democratic roots. The meeting in Paderborn focussed
on two main areas: the approaches to reform in the area of health policy
and the preparation of the EUCDW Congress; the draft policy statement
was also discussed.
Working Group on Politics The
members of the working group on politics met at about the same times
as the meetings of the EUCDW Presidium on 11./12.01.2001, 05.-07.04.2001,
05.-07.07.2001 and on 12.-14.10.2001. The meeting on 01rst March 2001
concentrated on the employment policy, the meeting on 30th May 2001
on the 8th EUCDW Congress. The seminars and working groups for the year
2002/2003 were also prepared.
The EUCDW issued a total of four Statements last year:
The EUCDW also exerted its influence on several dossiers which were dealt with in the European Parliament's Committee for Employment and Social Affairs. This particularly applies to the subject of "the provision of existential requirements", where the EUCDW commented on the respective report in several letters and proposals for amendments. A
letter was also written to the Turkish government with regard to the
observance of human rights (31.05.2001).
Participation in EPP Meetings Representatives of the EUCDW Board and of many EUCDW Member Organisations participated in the EPP Congress which took place in Berlin from 11. - 13.01.2001. The EUCDW was represented by President Luc Delanghe or Christoph Weißkirchen at the following EPP meetings:
EUCDW representatives also participated in meetings of the EPP working groups:
Meetings and Participations in Seminars As well as the official seminars and meetings there were several talks with representatives of the party and parliamentary party. President Luc Delanghe also participated in several seminars and conferences, i.e. a celebration in Barcelona marking the CEEFT's 50th anniversary, a celebration in Vienna marking the FCG's 50th anniversary and a meeting of the OM Presidium in Bucharest. EUCDW representatives also participated in various other EUCDW Member Organisation seminars and events (i.e. the Conference on the Trade-Union Collaboration in Europe (KGZE) in the Czech Republic).
The
European Union of Christian Democratic Workers (EUCDW) consists of 23
workers' organisations from 15 countries and is an association of the
European People's Party (EPP).
|
. |
|||||||||
. |
. |
