§ Mr. Teddy TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for Southend, East on 14 June,Official Report, column 909, if he will list the issues which the Commission proposes to deal with in social measures related to the European Economics Community and the draft directives issued to date; and if he will seek the guidance of the Commission on what social issues it will be presenting directives on the basis of majority voting.
§ Mr. Cope[holding answer 21 June 1989]: The European Commission has put forward a preliminary draft proposal for a "Community charter of fundamental social rights", which it proposes should be adopted as a solemn declaration of the 12 heads of state and Government. The preliminary draft proposal invites the Commission to draw up a programme of work by June 1990. A copy of the preliminary draft has been deposited in the Library, and an explanatory memorandum has been provided to the Select Committee on European Legislation. The preliminary draft is not based on any article of the treaty and is proposed as a political statement.
The following draft legislation proposals, which have not yet been agreed, have been issued to date:
draft directive on procedures for informing and consulting employees in complex undertakings;draft directive concerning temporary work;draft directive on voluntary part-time work;draft recommendation on the reduction and reorganisation of working time;draft directive on parental leave and leave for family reasons;284Wdraft directive on the burden of proof in the area of equal pay and equal treatment for men and women;draft directive amending directive 68/360/EEC on the abolition of restrictions on movement and residence within the Community for workers of member states and their families.draft directive concerning the minimum health and safety requirements for work with visual display units.Whether the voting arrangements for specific proposals are based on simple majority, qualified majority or unanimity depends on the subject matter and the article(s) of the treaty of Rome on which they are based. The proposed treaty base is indicated on draft legislation.
In addition, in the area of health and safety at work, there are:
draft directive concerning the minimum health and safety requirements for the workplace;draft directive on the approximation of the laws of the member states relating to machinery;draft directive on the approximation of the laws of the member states relating to personal protective equipment;draft directive on the minimum health and safety requirements for handling heavy loads when there is a risk of back injury for workers.