Europaabgeordnete: Beschäftigungssicherheit vor Arbeitsplatzgarantie

MEP Ole Christensen (PSE, Denmark), said: "We managed not only to turn around a very right-wing initial Committee report but in fact to produce an entirely different text that strongly disagrees with the Commission's Green Paper on Labour Law. Importantly, we secured the introduction of a core of rights regardless of the type of contract concerned." 

Irish MEP Mary Lou McDonald (GUE/NGL) said: "The resolution represents a step back from existing Parliament positions, most recently expressed in the Schröder Report [on the posting of workers]. The fact is that the Commission has not enforced the Directive, and many member states ignore its provisions. These failures should not be sidestepped in arguments about proportionality or protectionism. When Parliament adopted the Services Directive, those of us who were concerned about its impact on workers' rights were assured that the proper enforcement of the Posting of Workers Directive would deal with our concerns. That has not happened, and the Commission has failed to enforce this Directive properly. This leaves many workers exposed, without the minimum standards necessary to avoid exploitation and abuse."  

BusinessEurope President Ernest-Antoine Seillière said: "It is satisfactory for companies that the European Parliament wants to reform labour law. This will influence the flexicurity debate positively." He added: "It is important to anchor further debate on labour law reform in the wider discussion on how to achieve a better balance between flexibility and security for workers. Efforts have to be concentrated on how to create new jobs, facilitate transition between jobs and not on how to artificially preserve existing ones. Companies need both a variety of contractual arrangements and improved flexibility in traditional standard contracts. Social partners have to engage at national level to find win-win compromises for both companies and workers."  

Fintan Farrell, director of the European Anti-Poverty Network, declared: "The security we need cannot be summarised by secured transitions between jobs. What we need instead are policies implementing an inclusive labour market, contributing to the fight against in-work poverty and discrimination, and allowing access for all to quality sustainable employment. These policies should go along with high levels of social protection and respect of fundamental rights - notably human dignity, the right to engage in work and the right to social assistance. No real security can be built without progressing on the road to ambitious social standards, including adequate minimum income distinct from employment status."