The report on the situation of frontier workers with which the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs has presented us undoubtedly stems from the laudable intention of ensuring that frontier workers are not subject to discrimination in terms of pay, working conditions and social security and of resolving the problems that still persist in these areas. That is what we all want. However, it is an exaggeration to suggest, as the explanatory statement of this report suggests, that the internal market, of which the free movement of workers is a cornerstone, is an absolute farce in the daily lives of these people. That is just as much divorced from reality as various assertions in the resolution; some of the demands it makes are tantamount to kicking at open doors, at least in relation to the circumstances of the 85,000 frontier workers in Luxembourg. It is simply untrue that family members are excluded from provisions and benefits in the country of employment. Of course there are differences between private schemes and the public welfare systems, but such differences apply equally to those who are not frontier workers. Of course there are differing systems of provision for the elderly. These not only differ from one Member State to another but even differ within Member States. My pension entitlement would be greater if I had been employed in the public sector. That, however, is not a problem that specifically concerns frontier workers. Of course there are differences between Member States in terms of the structure of pension schemes, contributions and pensionable ages. The frontier workers who are employed in Luxembourg rejoice in these differences, because our pensions are far more generous than those in Belgium, France and Germany, where our frontier workers live. Although some elements of the social security system are tax-funded in Luxembourg, this does not result in inequalities, because frontier workers are also entitled to the relevant benefits, such as those under the care-insurance scheme, a right which even applies in Belgium and France. The resolution bemoans the fact that there is no longer a clear distinction in Member States between social assistance and social security. This is not true either. Social assistance is not really a problem for frontier workers at all, because they are employees with no need of social assistance. Nor do I understand what periods of secondment have to do with frontier workers. There is, of course, a directive covering employees seconded by their employer, but that directive cannot be applied to frontier workers. And as far as the judgments of the European Court of Justice in the Kohl and Decker cases are concerned, it is clear that all citizens of the Union, and hence frontier workers too, can benefit from health services in other Member States. Here too, the report is trying to force an open door. I felt it was important to make this clear, because it is not the first time that Parliament has made such half-baked demands in one of its reports. Back in 1998, when we discussed the Lancker report, I emphasised that it was absurd to claim that there was any inherent discrimination against frontier workers. At that time the Belgian Socialists had made the ridiculous proposal that a compensatory fund be created for loss of income suffered by frontier workers. It is important to frontier workers that there should be no tampering with the principle that income taxes and welfare contributions are payable in the country of employment. This is the prerequisite if frontier workers are to enjoy all the social benefits that are granted in the country of employment to workers who reside there and to their dependants. That is how it is in Luxembourg, and that is how it is supposed to be everywhere – no more and no less. - Motion for a resolution on environment directives (B5-0038/2001)

Political group: PPE-DE