EFFAT on the Stockholm Programme: “Commission Action plan should be closer to reality”

EFFAT showed that the sectors of agriculture, food and tourism witness a decline, rather than an improvement in the situation of many workers. In times of economic crisis and recessions many atypical forms of work and many new forms of labour which are not covered by proper social security schemes become more and more popular on the labour market. Moreover, categories such as migrant, seasonal or temporary agency workers, they often have neither a sufficient income nor a secure future career. The issue of flexicurity becomes a high concern since workers face less and less security and too much flexibility. The free movement of workers is a major achievement of the EU, but, unfortunately, in our sectors for example it is abused as a source of cheap labour. Many of these workers, a lot of whom come from the new EU countries, work and live as second-class workers in degrading conditions.

The European Commission Action Plan should take this reality into account and come up with a precise roadmap and calendar.

Participation in the seminar was broad: Monika Benova, S&D vice-president responsible with EU citizen’s problems, Steven Highes, S&D vice-president, Claude Moraes, LIBE coordinator of S&D Group, other representatives of the trade unions confederation and federations, members of the EESC as well as NGOs.

In December 2009, the European Council adopted the “Stockholm Programme- An open and secure Europe serving and protecting the citizens”. The European Commission engaged itself in presenting an action plan (by the end of the Spanish Presidency) to implement the programme. This will have a direct impact on millions of citizens, in the field of migration and labour force.