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Brussels,
27.11.2003
Follow
the objectivs of the EU Convention
Position
of the EUCDW concerning the IGC
With
regard to the Intergovernmental Conference on the Future of the Union
and prior to the conclave of Ministers, the European Union of Christian
Democratic Workers (EUCDW), the workers' organization of the European
Peoples' Party (EPP), has elaborated the following position.
We
welcome the ambitious attempt to transform, though a written constitution,
the EU from an economic community to a political union which places
great emphasis on issues of social importance.
The
European Convention has developed an excellent draft proposal which
contains the three characteristic elements of all constitutions: It
is founded on values, is aimed at providing its citizens with rights
and is built to create a clear and controllable structure of competences
for the individual institutions and administrative levels.
The
EUCDW stresses that the text of the Constitution presented by the EU-Convention
was compiled by democratically elected members of Parliament and is
supported by the European Parliament. Therefore, the EUCDW expects the
Intergovernmental Conference to follow this guideline. Discussions about
possible amendments must not lead to setbacks on the way to a political
union.
As
a consequence, the EUCDW wholeheartedly supports the central objectives
of Articles I.2 (The Union's values) and I.3 (The Union's objectives)
of the draft proposal.
The
EUCDW holds the view that the integration of the Charter of Basic Rights
is of vital importance.
It also supports the subsidiarity-centred structure of the constitution
which assigns the responsibilities to the social and civil dialogues
accordingly.
These
issues, however, also provide the background for some of the more critical
views taken by the EUCDW, which - should the constitution be changed
- must be taken into consideration (including the criticism regarding
the European Parliament):
- The EUCDW regrets
that no general agreement has been reached to arrive at Council decisions
on the basis of (qualified) majority voting and a decisive
input of the European Parliament.
- This becomes
specifically apparent in the European social policies: The objective
of "social cohesion" expressed in Part I is not reflected in Part
III by a widening of the corresponding European capability to act
in view to cross-border social policy issues. On the contrary: The
enlarged Union of the future will make it more difficult to arrive
at the majorities needed, even for those questions which do not require
unanimity. This applies for instance to the issue of protection
against unlawful dismissal in Article III-104.1d as well as the
anti-discrimination regulations of Article III-8. An increased
cross-border cooperation may also prove useful for all EU member states
in areas which have so far been excluded from the scope of the discussions
such as the freedom of association and coalition and issues of wages,
strikes and lock-outs.
- The EUCDW welcomes
all efforts aimed at linking the Articles of Part III, regarding the
internal market and competition, to the economic system of the social
market economy. This value based proposition must not remain restricted
to Part I, but must also be applied consistently in Part III.
- Fourthly, the
constitution guarantees the citizens certain freedoms and basic social
rights in the Charter of Basic Rights only to partly qualify and partly
retract them subsequently in a legally ambiguous manner. The EUCDW
holds the view that basic rights stand above "normal" constitutional
provisions and must not be eroded or undermined, as Article II.52-1
explicitly states.
- Fifthly, the
document does not advance the social dialogue nor is it instrumental
in the creation of clear structures which would enable the so-called
"civil dialogue" to contribute to the development of the political
will. In this context, we would also like to point to the Economic
and Social Committee which should be provided with a more active role
in the European decision-making process.
- The EUCDW welcomes
the possibility, specifically mentioned in the document, of member
states taking more far-reaching initiatives to work together than
is prescribed by European law. However, the EUCDW stresses that this
relates to an initiative of the member states, and that with its own
initiatives the Commission should not be given the opportunity to
choose between this more open method and the regular means of passing
legislation.
- The EUCDW welcomes
all possibilities for further improvement of the way in which representative
democracy functions. This should occur in the first instance by giving
representative social partners and non-governmental organisations
the opportunity to be involved in the consultations on European regulations
in their particular field. Such use of popular initiatives calls for
continual improvement in the transparency of decision-making processes,
for clear allocation of responsibility and for comprehensive information
on the relevant issues.
- The agreement
does not provide any authorisation for regions with legislative power
- which consist mainly of stateless people or nations - apart from,
and in fact exclusively, the right to address the European Court directly.
The new European constitution should grant the regions the right
to create cross-border connections of social, economic and administrative
co-operation.
Finally, the EUCDW welcomes the specific "opening clauses" intended
to serve as instruments for the closer coordination of EU member state
policies. The EUCDW expects that the corresponding processes will still
be developed (for example, with a view to the fight against poverty
agreed as part of the Lisbon process).
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).
responsible: Christoph Weisskirchen, Secretary General (following a
decision of the board)
EUCDW
European Union of Christian Democratic Workers
c/o EPP,
Rue du Commerce / Handelsstraat 10
B-1000 Brussels
E-mail: EUCDW
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