Brussels, 20 April 2016 To: EU Heads of State and Government   Statement from the Coalition for Higher Ambition  

Letter for the attention of Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission  Brussels, 5 April, 2016 Commission proposal on disclosure of income tax information by certain multinational corporations Dear President Juncker,

Brussels, 19 April 2016     JOINT STATEMENT FROM ETUC AND CLC The CETA: where we are at and what needs to be changed   When Canada and Europe set out to negotiate a free trade agreement a few years ago, there were high hopes that this exercise might lead to a new “gold standard” in this area: an agreement that would show it is possible to deepen trade links while maintaining and increasing social, labour and environmental standards.  

Brussels, 19 January 2016 ETUC letter of support to Philippe Martinez, General Secretary of CGT French Union  Dear Philippe, The ETUC is gravely concerned about the sentences handed down by the court of Amiens on 12 January for the eight former Goodyear workers. 24 months in prison, of which 9 months are mandatory, is unprecedented. It severely punishes workers who fought for nearly 7 years to save their jobs on their territory.

ETUC Economic Policy Committee Statement to the Macroeconomic dialogue at technical level Brussels, 19 January 2016   The ETUC Economic Policy Committee met in Brussels on 19 January 2016 in order to prepare the Macroeconomic dialogue technical meeting.

Statement from the ETUC Mobility, Migration and Inclusion Committee Stop discriminating against refugees on grounds of nationality! The ETUC has received information from informal and informal sources around the so-called ‘Balkan route’ of entry to the EU that since 19 November 2015, the states of FYROM Macedonia, Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia have been allowing only Syrians, Iraqis and Afghanis to enter their countries.

We, the European trade union movement, stand in solidarity with the people of France, and the French trade unions following the murderous attacks on innocent people in Paris. We, trade unions throughout Europe, condemn without reservation these barbaric murders. There can be no justification for the deliberate, cold-blooded taking of people’s lives, for causing injury and trauma, for bringing grief to the family and friends of the victims. We commend the bravery of the police, security and emergency services, and ordinary citizens, during and after the attacks. 

The ITUC and the ETUC wish to offer a contribution to the Valletta Summit through this joint statement. This contribution complements and integrates positions that the ITUC and ETUC have repeatedly issued for a rights-based approach to migration and asylum in Europe and worldwide.

ETUC declaration on 'Better Regulation' 
 
 Adopted at the ETUC Executive Committee on 17-18 June 2015 
 
 
 The ‘Better Regulation’ package[1] published the 19/05/2015 by the European Commission is supposed to ensure better, simpler, less burdensome EU regulation. 
 
 

In its meeting in March 2015, the ETUC Executive Committee affiliated the two representative confederations from Montenegro, CTUM and UFTUM.  CTUM was affiliated because the new leadership, elected at their congress in November 2013, engaged in a serious and complex reform process. This process clearly disturbs those forces who want to keep CTUM under full control. The same are responsible for enormous financial abuses that ruin the trade union’s reputation.

Adopted by the ETUC Executive Committee at its meeting on 17-18 June 2015 The ETUC expresses its support for the demonstration on immigration which will take place on Saturday 20 June 2015 in Rome. The tragedy in the Mediterranean, the loss of thousands of lives, the terrible suffering of those who seek refuge fleeing hunger, poverty, war and persecution require a European response based on humanity, solidarity, integration and inclusion. Europe must overcome divisions and nationalism and give a common response to this humanitarian emergency.

Adopted by the ETUC Executive Committee at its meeting on 17-18 June 2015   The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) expresses its solidarity with its member organisations GSEE and ADEDY, with Greek workers and citizens, at a time of high risks for their country and their people.

Adopted by the ETUC Executive Committee at its meeting on 10-11 March 2015 The political change in Greece is an opportunity, not only for that crisis-ridden country but also for a fundamental reassessment and revision of EU economic and social policies focusing on failed austerity and structural reforms of the labour market.

Adopted by the ETUC Executive Committee at its meeting on 10-11 March 2015   When the ETUC Executive Committee convened for their meeting on March 10, pilots in the budget carrier Norwegian had been on strike for 11 days. The main demand of the Norwegian Pilot Union (NPU) was to have a collective agreement with their real employer, Norwegian Air Shuttle. In Denmark, Ryanair is establishing a base in Copenhagen, and are refusing the Danish unions’ request for a collective agreement.

Adopted at the meeting of the Executive Committee on 2-3 December 2014     Investment for sustainable growth and decent jobs is a long-standing ETUC demand.  The ETUC therefore welcomes the EU focus on investment and concrete initiatives contributing to this end and, in particular, the recent initiative towards an EU-level investment plan.

Adopted by the Executive Committee at its meeting on 21-22 October 2014 Economic policies followed until now to tackle the economic and social crisis have failed. They brought about low growth and deflation, increased precarious work and unemployment, particularly youth unemployment, rising poverty and inequalities. Divergences within and between countries increased.  Competition has been extended to all fields, including taxation, workers’ rights, workers’ wages, workers’ protection, working conditions, and social protection. 

Adopted by the Executive Committee at its meeting on 21-22 October 2014

The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) and the European Women's Lobby (EWL) call on Members of the European Parliament to support for the revision of the Maternity Leave Directive. Read the joint letter

Ahead of EU-US trade negotiations the American and European trade unions – AFL-CIO and ETUC  have issued a Declaration of Joint Principles.

Adopted at the meeting of the ETUC Executive Committee on 12 June 2014   The result of the elections demonstrates the growing distance between workers and citizens with the EU institutions and their leaders.  It is a clear signal that austerity policies imposed by national governments during the last five years failed.   The message of voters is clear.  Unemployment, precarious work, low pay is the major EU problem.  Policies supporting the creation of quality jobs, protecting people and the European social model must be implemented.

Adopted at the meeting of the Executive Committee on 11-12 March 2014 
 
 
   
 
 
   
 

Brussels, 03/12/2013 The Executive Committee of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) today considered worrying developments in Ukraine and condemned the violent repression of demonstrators in Kiev. They expressed regret that the conditions were not right for the partnership agreement with the EU to be concluded in Vilnius on 29 November 2013.

Brussels, 23/10/2013 The current multi-faceted crisis exploded five years ago essentially in the financial sector; it triggered an economic and then a sovereign debt crisis. To combat this crisis EU leaders have adopted and implemented policies through brutal austerity measures and internal devaluation. This exacerbated the crisis, destroyed functioning economic structures, reduced consumption, increased inequalities and poverty, attacked wage levels, dramatically raised unemployment, jeopardised social cohesion and the support to the EU project.

Brussels, 23/04/2013 Key messages; • The key concern is that the EU needs real social investment. Social benefits bring value to individuals and to society and therefore it is justified to dedicate adequate budget resources to deliver social benefits and services to the people who are in need and entitled to social rights. Europe needs a real investment package to promote growth, employment and ensure economic and social cohesion. The ETUC has called for an additional investment equivalent to 1-2% of European GDP.

Brussels, 05/03/2013 ETUC Declaration The ETUC considers that the proposal to discuss a social dimension of the EMU is too restrictive. Our commitment to the process of European integration depends on the fact that Europe is not a free trade zone, but an area whose objectives are economic and social progress. Therefore a discussion on the social dimension of the EMU is only acceptable if it triggers social progress in the whole of the European Union.