Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2008-10-20-Speech-1-092"
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"en.20081020.13.1-092"2
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".
Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, I should like to start by thanking my fellow Members for their comments, and the shadow rapporteurs, the coordinators and everyone else involved in this debate for the support they have given to me, and equally to the finalisation of this process.
It is true that this report boils down to an explanatory statement and a single request: 'let us say yes'. The imminent adoption, I hope, in two days' time of this directive is a victory for the European Parliament, and a victory for the social partners, and I should like to take this opportunity to respond to the members of the Confederal Group of the European United Left/Nordic Green Left, who tabled a number of amendments. I understand where these amendments are coming from, in essence, but I should nevertheless like to emphasise the fact that the European Trade Union Confederation once again spoke to the chairmen of the political groups, a few days ago, to say that the adoption of this directive, in unamended form, would send a strong signal that social progress at EU level was both necessary and possible, and that social Europe was still alive.
At a time when the temporary work sector is growing, as are other atypical forms of employment contract, we need to have a legal framework, and that is the decision that we are now taking. Europe is an area of justice: it needs to be so in the interests of civil rights, and also in economic and social terms. We have already enshrined in various directives the protections and rights enjoyed by all workers. Now that more and more people are temporary workers, we need to ensure that they have the same rights, and that temporary work cannot be abused as a way to evade either the rights of workers concerned or those of other workers who would consequently suffer from pressures and social dumping.
We also want to show, in adopting this directive, that social Europe can move forwards, and that it can have real substance, contrary to what we have sometimes heard from the Commission – not from Mr Špidla, but from other Commissioners. We can legislate – we can colegislate – on social matters, too, and thus show the members of the Council, who have, for too long, blocked the adoption of this and other legislation, that they need not be afraid of the progress of social Europe, and that, if we can show that Europe is defending citizens and workers, this may also help to bring about a reconciliation between the citizens and the institutions of the Union and to assuage the concerns expressed in Ireland, the Netherlands and my own country, France.
I believe that further progress with regard to social directives will also help to foster further progress with regard to political Europe, and with regard to people's support for the progress of political Europe."@en1
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