Services directive finally passes through the European
Parliament
24 November 2006
Today, the services directive has passed
through the last legislative hoop. After nearly three years of
legislative work, three major ETUC demonstrations, which Amicus
participated in, and hours of intensive drafting and redrafting,
the text passed through its second parliamentary reading.
“It is reassuring that the European institution
have actually listened to trade unions on this matter” said Derek
Simpson Amicus General Secretary.
Following massive and unified trade union mobilisation, all the
European institutions accepted the exclusion of labour law and
collective rights, as well as sensitive sectors, such as healthcare
and social services, temporary employment agencies and private
security services, and audiovisual services.
After the near-wholesale adoption of the European Parliament's
compromise deal by the Commission and Council, a grand coalition of
socialists, conservatives and liberals guided the text through the
EP without further amendment.
”We are a little disappointed that the European Parliament did not
tighten the definition of labour law further and extend the
exclusion list of social services to be excluded from the
directive”, Derek went on to say. “However these issues will now be
dealt with by the UK government, during the transposition of the
directive into UK legislation and we intend to will push the
government hard on both issues”
European Commissioner Charlie McCreevy proclaimed unequivocally in
the European Parliament plenary that the directive will not affect
national labour law and practices. He went on to state, "the
services directive is neutral on the different models of industrial
relations in the member states".
Amicus intends to hold him and the European institutions to these
words
