click here for workers' rights section and elderly peoples' issues

THE ECONOMY, EMPLOYMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY

The Lisbon Agenda was designed to enable the conditions for full employment by 2010. However, despite optimistic forecasts in the long term Europe is far from reaching its employment goals. Now in 2005, the Agenda is being re-examined, new questions are being asked about what direction European employment policy should take.

The Lisbon Strategy - a mid term review

To read Jeans views on the how Lisbon is progressing click here (from February Newsletter)

11 March 2003: EU Employment Strategy lacks Sustainability element

"If we are really going to do something to upgrade the employment or social environment, we need to take account of the physical environment." said Jean Lambert, speaking in the Parliament's plenary session in Strasbourg. While welcoming some aspects of the proposal, she also called for the involvement of national parliaments in the development of each country's own employment action plans. Read Jean's speech

27th February 2002

In the run up to the Barcelona economic summit, Jean spoke in the European Parliament on the incompatibility of ECONOMIC GROWTH and SUSTAINABILITY.

Jean's speech in Parliamentary Plenary session

SOCIAL SECURITY AND FREE MOVEMENT WITHIN THE EU

"Free movement is not a threat or an inconvenience: it is a valuable way to increase understanding and develop co-operation" Jean Lambert MEP

SEPTEMBER 2005: Jean hosts "Who's Afraid of EU Enlargement?"

Jean is the Committee's Rapporteur on a complicated report which will update an EU Regulation dealing with the coordination of social security systems in Europe. In practical terms this Regulation is what governs such things as the E111 form which you may have used when holidaying abroad within the EU. This, for example, means that as an EU citizen you will have automatic access to health care when you are abroad.

There are a whole host of issues associated with this Regulation and its update, both practical and political, which affect a whole range of different people, for example:

- students

- pensioners

- third country nationals (citizens of non-EU countries)

- frontier workers

If you are interested in the issue of free moveement and how social security is important in order to guarantee that all citizens are able to implement their right to free movement within the EU, see our briefing on Regulation 1408/71

July 2001: article on Social Security across borders

February 2002: Oral Question in Parliament on the legal base for 1408 (warning - technical!)

Freedom of Movement and Employment

• February 2003: Speaking in the European Parliament, Jean highlighted the problem faced by many companies when trying to secure work permits for employees coming from outside the EU. On behalf of the Greens, she expressed support for rules to reduce bureaucracy in order to facilitate this process. Read the speech

The European Employment Services (EURES) is coordinated by the European Commission and assists people in exercising their freedom of movement. When Parliament adopted their report on implementing the Eures network in May 2002, Jean gave a speech to Parliament

WORKERS' RIGHTS

• BRIEFING ON THE EU AND WORKERS' RIGHTS

• 10th January 2003: Jean condemns UK government position on workers' rights
  

• BASIC workers' rights across Europe have been attacked as 'uncompetitive' by the UK Government. Former Europe Minister Peter Hain, who remains the Government's chief negotiator on the Convention on the Future of Europe - which will produce a draft constitution for the enlarged EU - will today call on the Convention to abandon calls to protect the right to form or join a trade union or to take industrial action.

• Read full press release

20th November 2002: Jean backs crackdown on rogue temping agencies in London...

• Proposals to crack down on rogue employment agencies have come under the spotlight at the European Parliament. MEPs are to consider European Commission proposals to extend full-time employment rights to the millions of temporary staff employed by agencies across the EU.

• Press release
• Read about the Temporary Agency Workers Directive
• Read the Green/EFA Group press release

July 2001: Takeover Bids Directive

• "Takeover Bid Directive fails"
• Controversy over Takeover Bids Directive: letter
• Takeover Bids: another letter
• Takeover Bids: Jean's explanation of vote

Feb 2005! Working Time

Jean's concerns about more flexible working time and the working time Directive explained: Click here

• Work time directive: speech in plenary (May 2000)
• Working Time for Junior Doctors (November '99)

THE AGEING POPULATION

• Jean is a co-President of the European Parliament's Intergroup on Ageing, a cross-party group which meets to discuss issues related to older people. Read the Intergoup's Statement prior to the Spring Summit 2003, 'For a Better Coherence on Ageing Issues'

• 14th January 2003: HEALTH CARE FOR THE ELDERLY In a debate on a proposal on how to guarantee accessibility, quality and financial viability in health care for the elderly, Jean Lambert highlighted the importance of according sufficient funds to this crucial service. Read Jean's speech

• 17th October 2002: National Pensioners Convention (NPC) - the future of the state pension. The House of Commons Work and Pensions Committee has launched an inquiry into the future of saving for retirement. The NPC has submitted written evidence to the inquiry which can be downloaded from www.natpencon.org.uk/index.htm

• Read Jean Lambert's briefing on the EU and pensions

NB: Click here for info on Jean's work on Anti-discrimination and Social Inclusion issues

The Lisbon Agenda social goal of the EU is "to become the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world capable of sustainable economic growth with more and better jobs and greater social cohesion".

Briefings by Jean:

The Working Time Directive

The EU and Workers' Rights

The EU and Pensions

The Future of Europe: Equal Status for Social and Environmental Goals?

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You can read all of Jean's speeches in European Parliament plenary sessions at www.europarl.eu.int

Go to 'Plenary Sessions' then 'Debates - by speaker' then type in 'Lambert'

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Article by Jean on "A Social Europe"

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Info on the Employment and Social Affairs Committee

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Useful Links

Social Platform www.socialplatform.org

European Anti-Poverty Networkwww.eapn.org

European Commission DG Employment and Social Affairs

European Citizens' Action Service www.ecas.org

AGE Europe

www.age-platform.org

European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC)

www.etuc.org

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Funding Information:

European Social Fund

EQUAL

The Employment and Social Affairs Committee of the European Parliament

Link to information on the Committee

The Committee is reponsible for:

• employment policy, including measures to combat unemployment, job creation and the Employment Committee;
  

• social policy, in particular:

• a) protection of living and working conditions, including the working environment, in order to protect the health and safety of workers;
  b) information and consultation of workers;
  c) collective protection of workers' and employers' interests;
  d) wages and pensions policy;
  e) social security and welfare protection;
  f) social exclusion and social cohesion;
  g) employment conditions for legal residents from third countries;
  h) housing policy and promotion of low-cost housing schemes;

• the social dimension and the labour market in the information society;
  

• the European Social Fund;
  

• vocational training;
  

• the free movement of workers;
  

• all forms of discrimination on the grounds of sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation, related to fundamental social rights and to the labour market.