Greens/EFA Group priorities for the 20-23 October session
Strasbourg Flash
Calling time on the raw deal for temporary workers
Monday, 20 October
Too many workers hired on contracts from temporary agencies get a raw deal compared to colleagues doing the same job. Greens welcome and support the European Commission Directive on temporary workers, which sets out these workers’ right to equal treatment, strengthens their access to training and childcare and addresses the question of representation in Works councils. Greens will oppose any move to postpone the Désir report to December.
Collective agreements: fundamental rights first
Tuesday, 21 October
A number of cases in the European Court of Justice (Laval, Viking, Rüffert) have led to heated debate on a trade-off between the freedom to provide services and the right to protect workers. The Greens strongly support the Andersson report, which recognises fundamental rights should prevail over economic considerations. It requests a partial review and broader legal base for the Posting Directive and calls on the Commission to act to close legal loopholes that have led to negative rulings and social dumping.
Resolution on the global financial situation
Wednesday, 22 October
After decades of neo-liberalist policies, voices in Europe are uniting in favour of tighter regulation of the financial sector and the creation of a Europe-wide supervisory body. Caps on financial sector managers’ exorbitant salaries and bonuses would also be welcomed. Greens were however disappointed with last week’s nomination of Commissioners Kroes and McCreevy to the financial crisis steering group. Charlie McCreevy’s track record is marked by an excessively hands off approach and blind faith in self-regulation.
Monday, 20 October
- Angelilli report on protecting children on the internet
- Désir report on temporary agency workers
- European Parliament INTA committee hearing of Trade Commissioner-designate Lady Ashton
Tuesday, 21 October 2008
Earlier time of 9.00-9.30 - Briefing by Greens/EFA co-presidents Daniel Cohn-Bendit and Monica Frassoni, with Greens/EFA Vice-president Pierre Jonckheer
- Andersson report on collective agreements
- European Council report and Commission statement on European Council (with Nicolas Sarkozy)
- Haug & Lewandowski reports on the 2009 budget
- Stockmann report on airport charges
- in't Veld report on passenger name record (PNR) data
- Council and Commission statements: EU-Russia relations
Wednesday, 22 October 2008
10.00-10.30 Press conference with Chair of the EP human rights subcommittee Hélène Flautre and others on the appeal against the execution of Troy Davis
- Vote on the resolution on the global financial situation
- Manders report on the protection of timeshare consumers
Thursday, 23 October 2008
- Announcement of Sakharov Prize
- Debates on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law
