Ref. Ares(2021)3025474 - 06/05/2021
From:
)
To:
EMPL A2 UNIT;
Subject:
FW: Meeting report BusinessEurope Social Affairs Committee
Date:
jeudi 29 avril 2021 18:18:44
To register in ARES link CAB SCHMIT/220
From:
(EMPL)
Sent: Friday, July 10, 2020 12:14 PM
To: PEREIRA Ana Carla (CAB-SCHMIT)
KAUFFMANN Barbara (EMPL)
OLSSON Stefan (EMPL)
CURELL GOTOR Jordi (EMPL)
GELENG Manuela (EMPL)
Cc: EMPL BRIEFINGS <xxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xx.xxxxxx.xx >;
Subject: Meeting report BusinessEurope Social Affairs Committee
Dear all
Please find the meeting report of below mentioned
videoconference.
KR
---------------------------------
Meeting report: Meeting of Commissioner Schmit with
Social Affairs Committee of BusinessEurope
Date and place: 16/06/2020, videoconference
Participants:
· BusinessEurope: Director General
,
Members Social Affairs Committee BusinessEurope
(cf list has been submitted)
· Commission: Commissioner Schmit, Antoine Kasel,
Ana Carla Pereira,
(EMPL A.2)
Summary:
The meeting was held in a very constructive atmosphere
stressing the commitment by BusinessEurope to work with
the COM in addressing the crisis. Despite regretting that
COM did not follow their request on postponing the posting
of workers directive, common positions and objectives
were stressed. Commissioner Schmit, mentioning the
strong COM response to the crisis and the need to save
companies in order to save jobs, presented the European
Semester as instrument in the context of recovery. He
highlighted COM priorities, such as the renewed skills
agenda and the updated youth guarantee. On the MW
initiative, the Commissioner assured BusinessEurope that
concerns raised by their Nordic member organisation are
well noted.
Details:
BusinessEurope General Director:
· BusinessEurope and COM have during crisis
developed a constructive work relationship and
deepened it together with other social partners,
working together in a pragmatic way
· Although BE does not always agree with COM (eg
posting of workers directive) positions have become
closer
· Recovery plan is a bold step and can make a
difference
· Without functioning business Europe will not get
out of the crisis
· There is a need to spend the money well, which is
also linked to structural reforms, and Semester
should play a key role
· As said at the Pillar hearing organised by COM on
8 June, BusinessEurope suggests tripartite
approach to work together including national social
partners and MS, Pillar a “golden opportunity” to
discuss
Commissioner Schmit:
· European economic model is based on a strong
social partnership, and especially in crisis of utmost
importance
· There is a high interest to put the economy back on
track and a need to facilitate transformations ahead
of us, including digital and green
· There are also opportunities linked to crisis, in
order to seize them social dialogue is important
· Besides saving lives COM priorities lie on saving
jobs and companies, given whole industrial sectors
in trouble
· Important to ensure EU keeps its industrial
substance
· COM has proposed instruments for companies to
restore their liquidity
· Short term work schemes could cushion negative
effects (compared to dramatic unemployment rate
rise in US) but are limited
· Key to implement recovery plan also with a view to
strengthen internal market and to supply chains,
speed and scope is important
· For the future there is a need to look at ways to
build resilience and economies that are more able
to absorb shocks
· European Semester is an instrument in this
context; it can be used to identify weaknesses and
strengths and help MS to implement recovery plan
· Amongst upcoming COM initiatives YES – Youth
Employment Support aimed at avoiding a
generation loses linked to Corona and a renewed
skills agenda are important
· COM ambition is to strengthen the social market
economy with strong level of innovation and
investment but also strong level of social fairness
In the discussion the following issues were raised by these
members of the committee:
- DE
· Severe concerns regarding posting of workers
directive and supply chains; for posting of workers
directive practical problems from 1 July expected to
arise, ELA is not able to help here, BusinessEurope
ready to identify issues
· Pillar hearing welcome, Pillar needs to be seen as
joint commitment not as pretext for new legislation
- DK
· On MW: Welcome that Nordic model is
acknowledged
· Approach could work for recommendation, but
concerns if the instrument will be a directive
· Asks for further assurances for Nordic model
– NL
· Recovery plan should not be on giving money, also
about improving functioning of labour markets
· Role of Semester, how to play its central role to
helping labour market performane
- FR:
· On skills agenda, priorities presented by
BusinessEurope for dedicated hearing in January
remain valid: Digitalisaton and STEM important
· Crisis has acted as accelerator regarding work
transitions
Reaction Commissioner Schmit:
Posting of workers directive
· COM aware of difficulties at borders, the problems
are not linked to the new directive, but agrees with
the need for a balanced solution with a view to
bureaucratic burden
Supply chains:
· COM not against globalisation but there is a need
to respect basic rights and rules
Tripartite exchange
· Open to this approach, also interesting to hear how
it could be done practically
· Unclear how it could be established without
creating “big monster parliaments”; we should not
create big committees
Short term work schemes:
· Useful tool but cannot last forever
· There is a need to get out of frozen economy
MW:· DK is providing the right example promoting
· COM takes concerns serious and will study legal
implications
· MW needed to promote convergence
· COM cannot take a commitment at this stage as to
which form the instrument will be
European Semester:
· Strong internal market cannot function with
increasing divergences, therefore Semester is key
· Ensuring that investment follows certain priorities ,
to improve labour markets and skills
· Key element of organisation of the recovery plan
· Ownership is key, thus social partners need to be
involved
Skills
· Work is ongoing with CEDEFOP on better
understanding labour market needs
· Regarding STEM and digitalisation EU has to make
huge effort Face a lot of skills shortages
The committee chairman
concluded by
submitting three requests to COM:
Electronically signed on 06/05/2021 12:04 (UTC+02) in accordance with article 11 of Commission Decision C(2020) 4482
