European Union News - Social Affairs

Between 4.5 and 8 million illegal immigrants work in the construction, farming, hotel and other sectors in the EU.  One of the factors encouraging illegal immigration into the EU is the possibility of finding work. This legislation aims to reduce that pull factor by targeting the employment of third-country nationals who are illegally staying in the EU.

The Commission has published in the Official Journal of the European Union, on February 17th, 2009 Call for proposals AL-2009-2 under the work programme of the Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) Joint  Programme. This second Call for Proposals is focused on topic “ICT based solutions for Advancement of Social Interaction of Elderly People”.

The European Commission has communicated to the Council, the European Parliament, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions, on February 13th, 2009, its Proposal for the Joint Report on Social Protection and Social Inclusion of year 2009, COM(2009) 58 final.

The EU's “For Diversity. Against Discrimination.” prize for journalists has been awarded today to a French article about gay football players, in a tie with a Danish article about women who convert to Islam. The third prize went to a Portuguese article while the special Roma Award has been won by a Greek journalist. The award ceremony took place in Prague on February5 at the Kaiserstejnsky Palace.

In January, the Economic Sentiment Indicator (ESI) for the EU and the euro area declined again, but less sharply than in the last three months of 2008. Besides, the data released by Eurostat show an increase of unemployment up to 7.4% in the EU27 and 8.0% in the EU15 area in December 2008.

Members of the EP Civil Liberties Committee adopted on January 21st, by a large majority, a compromise reached with the Council by Claudio Fava, the MEP guiding the legislation through Parliament.  This deal paves the way for a first-reading agreement on the “sanctions directive” and will be debated at Parliament’s plenary session in Brussels on February, 19th.

The Commission has set up, by Decision 2009/17/CE, published in the Official Journal of the European Union, the Committee of Experts on Posting of Workers. This Committee will engage with the public bodies responsible for control, such as labour inspectorates. It will also, at appropriate levels and in accordance with national law and practice, formally and regularly involve the social partners, in particular representatives of the social partners in sectors with a high incidence of recourse to posted workers.

Greece, Spain, Hungary and Portugal have lifted restrictions on access to their labour markets for Bulgarian and Romanian workers from the 1st . The four countries join ten other EU Member States which had already opened their labour markets for workers from Bulgaria and Romania. Restrictions remain in eleven Member States.

Aiming to establish a common framework for the systematic production of Community statistics on public health and health and safety at work, the Official Journal of the European Union, OJEO, has published on December 31st, 2008, Regulation (EC) Nº1338/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council on Community statistics on public health and health and safety at work.

The Official Journal of the European Union, OJEU, has published on December, 30th, 2008, Decisions Nº 1357/2008/CE and Nº 1358/2008/CE of the European Parliament and of the Council of December, 16th, respectively amending Decision Nº 1720/2006/EC establishing the Action Programme in the field of Lifelong Learning and Decision Nº 1904/2006/EC establishing the “Europe for Citizens” Programme for the period 2007 to 2013.

The Official Journal of the European Union, OJEU, has published on December 24th, Directive 2008/115/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of December, 16th 2008 on common standards and procedures in Member States for returning illegally staying third-country nationals. This Directive establishes a horizontal set of rules, applicable to all third-country nationals who do not or who no longer fulfil the conditions for entry, stay or residence in a Member State.

The European Parliament voted on December, 17th, against the Council's proposal on working time regulation, adopting by absolute majority the amendments proposed by Spanish rapporteur Alejando Cercas.  MEPs expressed their disagreement to exceptions to the 48 hours-maximum working time calculated over a reference period of 12 months and say the opt-out must end three years after adoption of the directive, adding that any period of on-call time should count as working time. A conciliation committee with the Council is now likely.