Social Affairs Council (Hansard, 9 December 1994)

§ Mr. Portillo

I attended the Social Affairs Council on 6 December in Brussels, accompanied by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Deptartment of Employment. The principal items on the agenda were two draft directives, on part-time and temporary work, and on posted workers; a discussion of Commissioner Flynn's White Paper on the future of European social policy; and a presentation of the Commission's proposals for the Essen European Council to follow up the earlier White Paper on growth, competitiveness and employment. There were no formal votes. The Leonardo training programme, a resolution on women and employment and proposals on the future of the handynet information system were agreed unanimously. The other 11 member states agreed a resolution, under their agreement on social policy, on future Community social policy.

In discussion of the part-time and temporary work directive, I made it clear that the United Kingdom could not accept the measure proposed. The United Kingdom Government have always opposed its directive because we believe that this is not an appropriate subject for Community-wide regulation and that the directive would lead to a loss of part-time jobs in the United Kingdom, particularly for women. There are 6 million part-time workers in the United Kingdom—more than 30 per cent. of all the part-time works in the European Community. The vast majority of them wish to work part time rather than full time. With nearly 20 million unemployed, the European Community should not be making it harder for employers to create part-time jobs. The Commission 393W indicated that it would bring forward new proposals in this area under the agreement on social policy.

There was an inconclusive discussion of the draft directive on posted workers. My right hon. Friend the Minister of State made clear our considerable difficulties, of both principle and detail. A number of other member states also had significant difficulties with the proposal. The Presidency announced that the Council would meet again on 21 December to discuss it further.

The President of the European Commission, Mr. Delors, reported to the Council on issues to be discussed at the Essen European Council, following up the Commission's White Paper on growth, competitiveness and employment, and on the Commission report on employment. No formal conclusions were drawn.

There was a brief debate on Commissioner Flynn's White Paper on European social policy, again without conclusions.

I took the opportunity at the Council to set out the United Kingdom view of how the social affairs agenda should develop over the next few years. I suggested five main subjects for the Council of Ministers in the social affairs field: —encouraging more effective policies to give the unemployed, particularly the long-term unemployed, the best chance of finding a job; —improving training, through Community support for member states' activities; —developing consistent standards for the implementation and enforcement of existing Community legislation; —further practical steps to promote the free movement of workers; — a re-examination of existing Community legislation to see whether it is still relevant and whether it stands in the way of job creation.

A resolution on social policy tabled by the Presidency which focused on developing legally-binding minimum standards at Community level was agreed by the other 11 member states under their agreement on social policy.

Final agreement was reached on the Leonardo vocational training programme.

A resolution on women and employment and a decision on the continuation, until 1996, of the handynet information system for people with disabilities were agreed without discussion.

The Council endorsed the conclusions of the Development Council about the world summit on social development which will take place in March 1995 in Copenhagen.