EUROOPAN YHTEISÖJEN KOMISSIO 
Bryssel, 24.05.1995 
KOM(95) 184 lopull 
"YHTEISÖN PERUSKIRJAA TYÖNTEKIJÖIDEN SOSIAALISISTA 
PERUSOIKEUKSISTA JA EUROOPAN YHTEISÖN PERUSTAMISSOPIMUKSEN 
LIITTEENÄ OLEVAA PÖYTÄKIRJAA SOSIAALIPOLITIIKASTA KOSKEVA 
KERTOMUS" 
(kömmission essitämä) 

YHTEENVETO 
Yksitoista valtion ja hallituksen päämiestä hyväksyi yhteisön peruskirjan työntekijöiden 
sosiaalisista perusoikeuksista Euroopan neuvoston kokouksessa Strasbourgissa 8 ja 9 
päivänä joulukuuta 1989. Sosiaalipolitiikan pöytäkirjassa todetaan, että "yksitoista 
jäsenvaltiota haluavat jatkaa vuoden 1989 sosiaalisella peruskirjalla viitoitetulla tiellä", 
ja niille "annetaan lupa turvautua edellä tarkoitetussa sopimuksessa tarkoitettuihin 
toimielimiin, menettelyihin ja mekanismeihin, sikäli kun ne koskevat näitä sopimuspuolia, 
toteuttaakseen keskenään sopimuksen täytäntöönpanon edellyttämät säädökset ja päätökset 
ja soveltaisivat niitä"; lisäksi todetaan, että nämä "eivät rajoita tämän sopimuksen 
määräysten, erityisesti sellaisten määräysten soveltamista, jotka koskevat 
sosiaalipolitiikkaa ja ovat erottamaton osa yhteisön säännöstöä". 
Yhteisön toiminta peruskirjan ja sopimuksen toteuttamiseksi perustuu, ottaen huomioon 
erityisesti elin- ja työskentelyolosuhteiden parantaminen, kolmeen keskeiseen 
periaatteeseen, jotka ovat toissijaisuus, kansallisten järjestelmien, kulttuurien ja 
menettelytapojen monimuotoisuuden kunnioittaminen sekä liiketoiminnan kilpailukyvyn 
säilyttäminen. 
Komission tämän toteuttamiseksi omaksuma toimintatapa vaatii laajoja toimenpiteitä, 
joissa jäsenvaltiota ja työmarkkinaosapuolia kuullaan ennalta neuvoa-antavissa 
komiteoissa, järjestetään tilanteen vaatimia neuvotteluja sekä muodollisia neuvotteluja 
yhteiskunnallisen vuoropuhelun mukaisesti. Yhteiskunnallisen vuoropuhelun osalta 
komissio haluaa korostaa työmarkkinaosapuolilta laaja-alaisten yhteisten lausuntojen ja 
julistusten kautta saatua myönteistä panosta sosiaalisen ulottuvuuden kehittämisessä. 
Tässä yhteydessä on myös syytä mainita Euroopan parlamentin ja talous- ja 
sosiaalikomitean tärkeä osuus tässä suhteessa. Parlamentti on usein korostanut sitä, että 
sosiaalinen ulottuvuus on perusedellytys sisämarkkinoiden toteutumiselle. Myös talous-
ja sosiaalikomitean osuus on ollut rakentava, erityisesti peruskirjan käynnistysvaiheessa; 
sen lausunnot ovat edistäneet yhteisön sosiaalipolitiikan edistyksellistä ja johdonmukaista 
toteuttamista. 
Peruskirjan 29 kohdassa komissiota kehotetaan laatimaan vuosittain kertomus peruskirjan 
soveltamisesta. Sopimuksessa sosiaalipolitiikasta todetaan, että komissio laatii vuosittain 
kertomuksen 1 artiklassa tarkoitettujen tavoitteiden toteutumisesta. Sosiaalipolitiikan 
pöytäkirjaa koskevassa tiedonannossaan komissio päätti, että tämä kertomus olisi 
käytännön syistä yhdistettävä peruskirjan soveltamista koskevaan kertomukseen. 
Sosiaalisen peruskirjan osalta tämä kertomus on laadittu samojen periaatteiden mukaisesti 
kuin kolme edellistä kertomusta ja on näin ollen 31 päivänä joulukuuta 1994 annetun 
kolmannen kertomuksen päivitys. Aikataulujärjestelyjen vuoksi peruskirjan soveltamista 
koskevia jäsenvaltioiden toimia käsittelevästä osasta laaditaan kuitenkin erillinen 
kertomus. 
1.00 TYÖMARKKINAT: EUROOPAN SOSIAALIRAHASTO 
Työssäkäyvien määrä oli kolmena peräkkäisenä vuonna jatkuvasti vähentynyt, mutta tämä 
kehitys pysähtyi vuonna 1994 ja näkymät paranivat huomattavasti. Tarvitsemme kasvua, 
jotta voisimme ratkaista työttömyyden ja sosiaaliset ongelmat, mutta kuten kertomuksessa 
"Työllisyys Euroopassa 1994" todetaan, "... tarvitsemme muutakin kuin pelkkää kasvua. 
Meidän täytyy luoda enemmän työtä tuottava kasvutapa - käyttämällä kaikkia mahdollisia 
saatavilla olevia keinoja ja menetelmiä." 
Joulukuussa 1994 Eurooppa-neuvoston Essenin kokouksessa asetettiin ensi sijalle 
"valkoisen kirjan strategian jatkaminen ja vahvistaminen kasvun vakauttamiseksi, 
Euroopan talouden kilpailukyvyn ja Euroopan unionin ympäristön laadun parantamiseksi 
sekä - ottaen huomioon työttömyyden yhä sietämättömän korkea aste - uusien 
työpaikkojen luomiseksi kansalaisillemme." Eurooppa-neuvosto velvoitti jäsenvaltiot 
sisällyttämään monivuotiseen ohjelmaan suosituksia, jotka liittyvät seuraavaan viiteen 
työllisyyden ensisijaiseen Ulaan: työntekijöiden työllistettävyyden parantaminen 
edistämällä sijoituksia ammatilliseen koulutukseen, alhaisemmat välittömät 
työvoimakustannukset, tehokkaampi työmarkkinapolitiikka, tehokkaammat erityisen 
voimakkaasti työttömyydestä kärsivien ryhmien tukitoimenpiteet ja valoisammat 
tulevaisuuden näkymät nuorille tarjoamalla heille joko työtä tai koulutusta. 
Rooman sopimuksella tuen tarjoamiseksi työllisyydelle ja yhteisön työtekijöiden 
maantieteellisen ja ammatillisen liikkuvuuden edistämiseksi perustettua Euroopan 
sosiaalirahastoa laajennettiin Maastrichtin sopimuksella ja vuonna 1993 annetuilla 
rakennerahastoja koskevilla asetuksilla. 
Tässä uudistuksessa, jolla vahvistettiin vuonna 1988 määritellyt rakennerahastojen 
toimintaperiaatteet (monivuotinen ohjelma, eri rakenteellisten välineiden välinen yhteistyö 
ja synergia), rahaston toimialaa laajennetaan koskemaan työttömyyden torjuntaa uuden 
tavoitteen 4 mukaisesti, jossa käsitellään työntekijöiden sopeuttamista teollisiin muutoksiin 
ja tuotantojärjestelmien muutoksiin ja koulutustoimien aloittamista unionin köyhimmillä 
alueilla. Sitä leimaa myös pyrkimys joustavuuteen: säännöissä ei enää täsmälleen 
määritellä, mitkä toimenpiteet voidaan kelpuuttaa, ja tämä puolestaan merkitsee sitä, että 
yhteiset rahoitusjärjestelyt ovat mahdollisia sellaisten koulutus/työllisyystoimenpiteiden 
osalta, jotka kuuluvat useisiin ESRn kattamiin yhteisön rakenteellisen politiikan 
tavoitteisiin. Näiden eri vaatimusten täyttämiseksi ESRn käyttöön on asetettu entistä 
suuremmat taloudelliset voimavarat: vuosiksi 1989 - 93 myönnettiin noin 25 miljardia 
ecua ja kuusivuotiskaudeksi 1994 - 99 noin 42 miljardia ecua yhteisön viidessätoista 
jäsenvaltiossa. Noin 90 prosenttia ESR:n voimavaroista käytettiin monivuotisten ohjelmien 
yhteydessä (yhteisön tukikehyksissä tai yksittäisissä ohjelmasiakirjoissa), joissa säädetään 
kunkin jäsenvaltion ja tavoitteen osalta tulevien vuosien määrärahat ja ensisijaisuudet. 
Jäljelle jäävä osa kuuluu jäsenvaltioiden yhteisön aloitteiden mukaisesti esittelemiin 
ohjelmiin, joilla pyritään edistämään paikallisia, edistyksellisiä ja kansalliset rajat ylittäviä 
lähestymistapoja koulutuksen ja työllisyyden alalla. Sosiaalirahasto on erityisen läheisesti 
yhteydessä kahteen näistä aloitteista: työllisyysaloitteeseen ja AD APT-aloitteeseen, joiden 
kummankin on talousarvio on 1,4 miljardia ecua vuosiksi 1994 - 99. 
1.01 TYÖLLISYYS JA KORVAUKSET 
Peruskirjan toteuttamiseen liittyvässä toimintasuunnitelmassaan komissio katsoi, että 
"hyvin erilaisten, muiden kuin luonteeltaan avointen, työsopimusmuotojen merkittävän 
kehityksen vuoksi tarvitaan yhteisön kehys, jolla varmistetaan näiden eri sopimusmuotojen 
välisen yhtenäisyyden vähimmäistaso, jolloin vältetään kilpailun vääristymien vaarat ja 
lisätään työmarkkinoiden avoimuutta yhteisön tasolla." Näiden näkökohtien perusteella 
komissio on ehdottanut "epätavallista työtä" koskevia perussäädöksiä, joihin kuuluu kolme 
välinettä. Näistä kolmesta ministerineuvosto on toistaiseksi hyväksynyt vain yhden, 
määräaikaisessa tai tilapäisessä työsuhteessa olevien työtekijöiden työterveyteen ja 
-turvallisuuteen liittyvien parannusten edistämistoimenpiteiden täydentämisestä 25 päivänä 
kesäkuuta 1991 annetun ehdotuksen. 
Komissio pahoittelee suuresti sitä, ettei neuvosto ole merkittävästi edistynyt komission 
muiden epätavallista työtä koskevien ehdotusten suhteen. Se katsoo erityisesti, että osa-
aikatyön työttömyyttä vähentävän vaikutuksen vahvistamiseksi tarvitaan kiireellisesti 
toimia, joilla varmistetaan, että osa-aikatyö on houkuttelevaa ja että osa-aikatyöntekijöitä 
kohdellaan asianmukaisesti. Kuten Valkoisessa kirjassa Euroopan sosiaalipolitiikasta 
todetaan, komissio aloittaa "epätavallisten" työntekijöiden, erityisesti osa-aikaisten ja 
määräaikaisten työntekijöiden sekä tilapäisten toimistojen työntekijöiden työolosuhteita 
koskevat neuvottelut työmarkkinaosapuolten kanssa sosiaalipolitiikan sopimuksen 
mukaisesti. 
1.02 ELIN- JA TYÖOLOSUHTEIDEN PARANTAMINEN 
Lähes kolme vuotta kestäneiden Euroopan parlamentin, neuvoston ja komission välisten 
neuvottelujen jälkeen neuvosto hyväksyi 23 päivänä marraskuuta 1993 unionin 
perustamissopimuksen 118a artiklan mukaisesti ehdotuksen direktiiviksi tietyistä 
työaikajärjestelyihin liittyvistä näkökohdista. Tätä direktiiviä sovelletaan kaikkiin aloihin, 
kuljetusta, merenkäyntiä ja koulutuksessa olevia lääkäreitä lukuun ottamatta, eikä se 
rajoita jäsenvaltioiden oikeutta soveltaa tai antaa säädöksiä, jotka selvemmin suosivat 
työntekijöitä. 
Komissio antoi 18 päivänä syyskuuta 1991 ehdotuksen direktiiviksi, jolla muutetaan 
työntekijöiden joukkovähentämistä koskevan jäsenvaltioiden lainsäädännön lähentämisestä 
annettua direktiiviä 75/129/ETY. Neuvosto hyväksyi nämä muutokset 24 päivänä 
kesäkuuta 1992. Tällä direktiivillä laajennetaan direktiivin 75/129/ETY soveltamisalaa 
työntekijöiden vähennyksiin, joista on päätetty organisaation korkeamman tason 
päätöselimissä, ja taataan, että nämä päätöselimet antavat työnantajalle kaikki ne tiedot, 
jotka ovat tarpeen työntekijöiden edustajien kanssa neuvoteltaessa ja heille asiasta 
tiedotettaessa ja että ne ilmoittavat suunnitelmista toimivaltaisille viranomaisille. 
Direktiivillä pyritään myös laajentamaan työntekijöiden oikeuksia tiedonsaannin ja 
neuvottelujen osalta tapauksissa, joissa työvoiman vähentäminen on seurausta 
oikeusistuimen päätöksestä. 
Komissio ehdotti 8 päivänä syyskuuta 1994 tarkistettua toisintoa 14 päivänä helmikuuta 
1977 työntekijöiden oikeuksien turvaamista yrityksen tai liikkeen taikka liiketoiminnan 
osan luovutuksen yhteydessä koskevan jäsenvaltioiden lainsäädännön lähentämisestä 
annetusta neuvoston direktiivistä 77/187/ETY. Tätä ehdotusta ei ole vielä hyväksytty. 
1.03 VAPAA LIIKKUVUUS 
Työntekijöiden vapaan liikkuvuuden tehostaseksi ja todellisten Euroopan työmarkkinoiden 
luomiseksi perustettiin EURES-järjestelmä (Euroopan työllisyyspalvelut) toimimaan a) 
Euroopan tasolla toimivana työllisyystoimistona, jonka tehtävänä on tiedottaa ja neuvoa 
työnhakijoita ja löytää heille työpaikkoja kaikkialla Euroopassa sekä b) toimia foorumina, 
jossa tutkitaan käytännön tasolla kaikkia Euroopan työllisyyteen liittyviä kysymyksiä. 
Verkosto perustettiin virallisesti marraskuussa 1994. 
Ottaen huomioon jäsenvaltioiden sosiaaliturvalainsäädäntöönsä tekemät muutokset ja tarve 
tehdä tiettyjä teknisiä muutoksia annettiin 30 päivänä kesäkuuta asetus sekä ehdotus 
asetukseksi (EVY, C 14, 26.5.1994), jolla muutetaan asetuksia N:o 1408/71, 574/72 
1247/92 ja 1945/93. 
Lisäeläkeoikeuksien siirtämisellä poistetaan työntekijöiden vapaan liikkuvuuden esteitä, 
jotka ovat seurausta siitä, ettei yhteisöllä ole säännöksiä, jotka suojaisivat tällaisia 
työntekijöitä oikeuksien menetykseltä. Tässä asiassa komissio on Euroopan 
sosiaalipolitiikkaa koskevan valkoisen kirjan mukaisesti ryhtynyt neuvotteluihin 
pyrkimyksenään laatia luonnos direktiiviksi, jolla luodaan yleinen kehys. Näiden 
neuvottelujen tuloksena komissio hyväksyy vuoden 1995 ensimmäisellä puoliskolla 
luonnoksen direktiiviksi, jolla luodaan yleinen kehys unionin alueella liikkuvien 
työntekijöiden lisä- tai työeläkeoikeuksien suojelemiseksi. 
1.04 SOSIAALITURVA 
Komissio hyväksyi 22 päivänä syyskuuta 1993 uuden ohjelman ("Keskipitkän ajan 
toimintaohjelma syrjäytymisen vastustamiseksi ja solidaarisuuden edistämiseksi"), jonka 
on suunniteltu seuraavan kesäkuussa 1994 päättynyttä Köyhyys m -ohjelmaa. 
Komissio on sosiaalisen peruskirjan toimintaohjelmassa esitettyjen tavoitteidensa 
mukaisesti ehdottanut strategiaa jäsenvaltioiden sosiaaliturvapolitiikan yhtenäistämiseksi. 
Tämän sosiaaliturvan päämääristä ja politiikasta 27 päivänä kesäkuuta 1992 annetussa 
neuvoston suosituksessa määritetyn strategian on määrä olla joustava, edistyksellinen 
ja jäsenvaltioiden vapaaehtoiseen lähestymistapaan perustuva. 
1.05 TYÖNTEKIJÖIDEN OSALLISTUMINEN 
Neuvosto hyväksyi 22 päivänä syyskuuta 1994 eurooppalaisen yritysneuvoston 
perustamisesta tai työntekijöiden tiedottamis-ja kuulemismenettelyn käyttöönottamisesta 
yhteisön laajuisissa yrityksissä tai yritysryhmissä annetun direktiivin 94/45/EY. Tämä 
vaikuttaa merkittävästi muihin tätä tai samantapaista aihetta koskeviin ehdotuksiin, jotka 
ovat tällä hetkellä käsittelyssä neuvostossa. 
Komissio aikoo tutkia, voitaisiinko edellä mainitulla direktiivillä helpottaa - ja missä 
määrin - tai jopa nopeuttaa muiden tällä hetkellä neuvostossa käsiteltävänä olevien 
ehdotusten hyväksymistä. Nämä koskevat työntekijöiden asemaa eurooppalaisissa 
yhtiöissä koskevia perussääntöjä, osakeyhtiöiden rakennetta (viides direktiivi) sekä 
yhdistyksiä, osuustoimintaa ja keskinäisiä yhdistyksiä koskevia perussääntöjä. 
1.06 MIESTEN JA NAISTEN TASA-ARVOINEN KOHTELU 
Yhteisön kolmannen keskipitkän miesten ja naisten tasa-arvoisia mahdollisuuksia 
koskevan toimintasuunnitelman (1991 - 95) puolivälissä komissio uskoo, että strategisen 
tavoitteen pitäisi siirtyä tasa-arvoisista oikeuksista tasa-arvoiseen kohteluun 
työmarkkinoilla, mikä saavutetaan yleisen yhteiskunnallisen tasa-arvoisuuden kautta. 
Tämän saavuttamiseksi komission aloitteet koskevat ratkaisuja kolmeen perusongelmaan: 
työ- ja perhe-elämän yhteensovittaminen, työmarkkinoiden pysty- ja vaakatasoisten 
esteiden poistaminen sekä naisten osallistuminen päätöksentekoon. 
Samanarvoinen palkkaus on perusoikeus, jonka toteuttamiseksi kolmannessa ohjelmassa 
annetun tehtävän mukaisesti komissio hyväksyi 23 päivänä kesäkuuta muistion 
samanarvoisen työn samanarvoisesta palkkauksesta, jossa selostetaan ja arvioidaan 
tämänhetkistä lainsäädäntöä ja asiaankuuluvia Euroopan tuomioistuimen päätöksiä. 
Komissio hyväksyi 16 päivänä syyskuuta 1994 kertomuksen direktiivin 86/613/ETY 
täytäntöönpanosta. Vaikka pelkästään lainopillisesti tarkasteltuna voidaankin sanoa, että 
kyseinen direktiivi on toteutunut kaikissa jäsenvaltioissa, käytännön tulokset eivät ole 
täysin tyydyttäviä ensisijaisen tavoitteen, avustavan puolison aseman parantamisen 
kannalta. Komission ja jäsenvaltioiden olisi ilmeisesti tarpeen tutkia keinoja, joiden avulla 
tällä alalla voitaisiin edistyä. 
Tuomioistuin antoi 28 päivänä syyskuuta 1994 kuusi tuomiota, joissa tulkittiin 
perustamissopimuksen 119 artiklaa, joka koskee (täydentävää) ammatillista 
sosiaaliturvajärjestelmää. Tarkoituksena oli selventää 17 päivänä toukokuuta 1990 
annettua Barber-tuomiota, jossa tuomioistuin oli selkeästi todennut, että ammatillisesta 
järjestelmästä saadut edut ovat perustamissopimuksen 119 artiklassa tarkoitettuja 
korvauksia miesten ja naisten tasa-arvoisen palkan osalta. Koska edellä mainitussa 
artiklassa ei sallita poikkeamia samapalkkaisuuden periaatteeseen ja koska se on 
ensisijainen kaikkeen johdettuun oikeuteen nähden, tiettyjä direktiivin 86/378/ETY 
säännöksiä miesten ja naisten tasa-arvoisesta kohtelusta ammatillisissa 
sosiaaliturvajärjestelmissä, joilla pyrittiin säätämään tällaisista poikkeamista (direktiivin 
9 artikla), ei enää voida soveltaa, eikä niillä ole mitään vaikutusta ansiotyössä oleviin 
työntekijöihin. Tämän ja lainopillisen varmuuden vuoksi komissio aikoo esittää 
muutoksen direktiiviin 86/378/ETY, jolla se saatetaan tuomioistuimen 
perustamissopimuksen 119 artiklasta antaman tulkinnan mukaiseksi. 
1.07 AMMATILLINEN KOULUTUS 
Ammatillisen koulutuksen kehitys ja laatu ovat entistä useammin keskustelun kohteena, 
ja niillä on keskeinen merkitys yhteisön kyvylle vastata haasteisiin, jotka se kohtaa 2000-
luvun kynnyksellä. Komissio on antanut ehdotuksen neuvoston päätökseksi, jolla luodaan 
toimintaohjelma "Leonardo da Vinci" Euroopan yhteisön ammattikoulutuspolitiikan 
toteuttamiseksi. Neuvosto hyväksyi yhteisen kannan komission ehdotukseen ja antoi 
tämän jälkeen päätöksen 6 päivänä joulukuuta 1994. Ohjelma kattaa jakson 1 päivästä 
tammikuuta 1995 31 päivään joulukuuta 1999. 
1.08 TYÖNTEKIJÖIDEN TERVEYS JA TYÖSUOJELU 
Yhteisön tasolla työterveyttä ja -suojelua koskee joukko sitovia säännöksiä, jotka 
perustuvat 118 a artiklaan Euroopan yhtenäisasiakirjan voimaantulon 
jälkeen.Toimintasuunnitelmaan yhteisön peruskirjan toteuttamiseksi sisältyy uusia 
ehdotuksia monilla aloilla, joilla turvallisuus on tärkeä kysymys. Seuraavat direktiivit on 
annettu: 
92/29/ETY, 31 päivänä maaliskuuta 1992 (aluksilla tapahtuva sairaanhoito); 
92/57/ETY, 24 päivänä kesäkuuta 1992 (tilapäiset tai siirtyvät rakennustyömaat); 
92/9l/ETY, 3 päivänä marraskuuta 1992 (työntekijöiden suojelu porausta 
käyttävässä kaivannaisteollisuudessa); 
92/104/ETY, 3 päivänä joulukuuta 1992 (avo-ja kaivoslouhintateollisuus); 
93/193/ETY, 13 päivänä marraskuuta 1993 (työskentely kalastusaluksilla); 
92/58/ETY, 24 päivänä kesäkuuta 1992 (työssä käytettävät turvallisuus- ja/tai 
terveysmerkinnät); 
91/382/ETY; (vaarat, jotka liittyvät asbestialtistukseen työssä). 
Neuvosto hyväksyi 8 päivänä heinäkuuta 1994 asetuksen, jolla perustettiin Euroopan 
työturvallisuus- ja työterveyskeskus, jonka keskuspaikka on Bilbaossa. Keskuksen 
tehtävänä on kerätä ja levittää työturvallisuutta koskevaa teknistä, taloudellista ja 
tieteellistä tietoa, edistää ja tukea jäsenvaltioiden välistä tiedon ja kokemusten vaihtoa, 
järjestää kokouksia ja seminaareja, tarjota komission tarvitsemaa tietoa lakitekstien 
valmistelua ja arviointia varten, luoda jäsenvaltioiden kansalliset verkostot yhteen liittävä 
verkosto ja" lopuksi kerätä ja levittää unionin ulkopuolista terveys- ja turvallisuustietoa. 
Komissio pyrkii erityisesti varmistamaan, että keskus voi aloittaa toimintansa vuonna 
1995 
1.09 LASTEN JA NUORTEN SUOJELU 
Peruskirjan toteuttamiseen liittyvän toimintasuunnitelmansa luvussa 11 komissio vahvisti 
päätöksensä suojella nuoria sellaisilta työolosuhteilta, jotka saattaisivat vaarantaa heidän 
terveytensä, turvallisuutensa ja kehityksensä. Komission tavoitteena on siis saada neuvosto 
hyväksymään nuorten suojelua koskeva direktiivi. Komissio hyväksyi 15 päivänä 
tammikuuta 1992 ehdotuksen, jota parlamentti tutki ensimmäisessä ja toisessa käsittelyssä. 
Tämä johti neuvoston yhteiseen kantaan, joka lopulta hyväksyttiin 22 päivänä kesäkuuta 
1994. Tämä direktiivi koskee kaikkia alle 18-vuotiaita, joilla on työsopimus tai työsuhde 
sellaisena kuin se on määritelty jäsenvaltion voimassa olevassa lainsäädännössä ja/tai 
jollei jäsenvaltion voimassa olevasta lainsäädännöstä muuta johdu. 
1.10 IKÄÄNTYVÄT IHMISET 
Ikääntyvien ja vanhusten lukumäärän merkittävä lisääntyminen nykyhetkestä vuosisadan 
loppuun on tehnyt näiden ihmisten yhteiskuntaan sopeuttamisesta vakavan ongelman 
kaikkialla yhteisössä puhumattakaan ikääntymiseen liittyvistä taloudellisista ja 
yhteiskunnallisista vaikutuksista. Tämän vuoksi komissio on antanut ikääntyviä koskevan 
tiedonannon sekä ehdotuksen neuvoston päätökseksi yhteisön ikääntyviä koskevista 
toimista. Tämän seurauksena neuvosto hyväksyi 26 päivänä marraskuuta 1990 päätöksen 
ikääntyviä koskevista yhteisön toimista. 
Ikääntyviä koskevien monien ehdotettujen toimenpiteiden joukossa ovat erityisen tärkeitä 
ne, jotka rohkaisevat kokemusten jakamista. Näihin on lisättävä neuvoston päätös, jolla 
vuosi 1993 julistettiin "Euroopan ikääntyvien ihmisten ja sukupolvien välisen 
solidaarisuuden vuodeksi". Euroopan vuoden 1993 päätteeksi neuvosto antoi ikääntyviä 
koskevan julistuksen 6 päivänä joulukuuta 1993. Euroopan parlamentti antoi ikääntyviä 
koskevan päätöslauselman 24 päivänä helmikuuta 1994. 
1.11 VAMMAISET 
Euroopan sosiaalirahastolla ja Horizon-aloitteella on tärkeä osuus vammaisten koulutuksen 
ja ammatillisen kuntoutuksen tukemisessa ja edistämisessä. Neuvoston 25 päivänä 
helmikuuta 1993 neljäksi vuodeksi hyväksymä Helios II -ohjelma käsittelee tiedonvaihtoa 
sekä edistää uusia jäsenvaltioiden tai kansalaisjärjestöjen kokeiluja vammaisten ihmisten 
sopeuttamiseksi yhteiskuntaan. 
2. SOPIMUS SOSIAALIPOLITIIKASTA 
2.1 KOMISSION 14 PÄIVÄNÄ JOULUKUUTA 1993 ANTAMA TIEDONANTO 
PÖYTÄKIRJAN TÄYTÄNTÖÖNPANOSTA 
Euroopan unionin perustamissopimuksen voimaantulon jälkeen komissio antoi neuvostolle 
ja parlamentille tiedonannon, jossa selvitetään, miten komissio aikoo panna täytäntöön 
sosiaalipolitiikan sopimuksen ja pöytäkirjan, joiden tavoitteena on käytännössä toteuttaa 
jäsenvaltioiden tahto, lukuun ottamatta Yhdistynyttä kuningaskuntaa, edistää Euroopan 
sosiaalista ulottuvuutta samanaikaisesti taloudellisen, kaupallisen ja rahapoliittisen 
ulottuvuuden kanssa. Euroopan parlamentti, neuvosto sekä talous-ja sosiaalikomitea ovat 
tarkkaan tutkineet komission tiedonantoa. 
2.2 SOPIMUKSEN SOVELTAMINEN: TIEDOTTAMINEN TYÖNTEKIJÖILLE 
JA TYÖNTEKIJÖIDEN KUULEMINEN 
Kun oli käynyt selväksi, ettei olisi mahdollista tehdä kaikkien jäsenvaltioiden osalta 
päätöstä komission ehdotuksesta neuvoston direktiiviksi eurooppalaisen yritysneuvoston 
perustamisesta yhteisön laajuisissa yrityksissä ja yritysryhmissä, komissio päätti perustaa 
esityksensä direktiiviksi sosiaalipolitiikan sopimukseen. Tämän seurauksena sopimuksessa 
säädettyjä kuulemis-ja neuvottelumenettelyjä kokeiltiin ensimmäistä kertaa käytännössä. 
Kun oli käynyt selväksi, että työmarkkinaosapuolet eivät pystyneet neuvottelemaan 
sopimuksen 4 artiklan mukaista sopimusta direktiivin sijaan, ja koska yhteisön aloitteen 
katsottiin yhä olevan tarpeen, komissio käynnisti lainsäädäntömenettelyn. Komissio päätti 
13 päivänä huhtikuuta 1994 hyväksyä uuden ehdotuksen tarkoituksenaan esitellä se 
neuvostolle sosiaalipolitiikan sopimuksen 2 artiklan 2 kohdan perusteella. Sosiaaliasiain 
neuvosto hyväksyi direktiivin yksimielisesti (Portugali pidättyi) kokouksessaan 22 päivänä 
syyskuuta 1994. Neuvosto hyväksyi eurooppalaisen yritysneuvoston perustamisesta tai 
työntekijöiden tiedottamis-ja kuulemismenettelyn käyttöönottamisesta yhteisön laajuisissa 
yrityksissä tai yritysryhmissä 22 päivänä syyskuuta 1994 annetun direktiivin 94/45/EY 
sosiaalipolitiikan sopimuksen 2 artiklan 2 kohdan perusteella. Direktiivi on näin ollen 
osoitettu ainoastaan niille jäsenvaltioille, joita sosiaalipolitiikan sopimus koskee, eikä sitä 
sovelleta Yhdistyneeseen kuningaskuntaan. Direktiivin tavoitteena on parantaa kansalliset 
rajat ylittävää työntekijöille tiedottamista ja työntekijöiden kuulemista yhteisön laajuisissa 
yrityksissä ja yritysryhmissä. Eurooppalaisen yritysneuvoston tai työntekijöiden 
tiedottamis- ja kuulemismenettely on säädetty rajoittuvaksi sellaisiin yhteisön laajuisiin 
yrityksiin ja yritysryhmiin, joilla on vähintään 1000 työntekijää ja vähintään kaksi eri 
jäsenvaltioissa sijaitsevaa toimipaikka, joissa kummassakin työskentelee vähintään 150 
henkilöä. 
3 VALKOINEN KIRJA EUROOPAN SOSIAALIPOLITIIKAN 
KEHITTÄMISESTÄ 
Valkoisen kirjan perusta on viime vuoden neuvoa-antavassa vihreässä kirjassa Euroopan 
sosiaalipolitiikasta "unionin vaihtoehdot", jossa tarjottiin ennennäkemättömän laajat 
mahdollisuudet sosiaalialan politiikan vaihtoehtojen ja ehdotusten neuvoa-antavaan 
käsittelyyn. Vihreään kirjaan saatiin yhteensä runsaat 500 kirjallista vastausta lukuisista 
eri lähteistä - jäsenvaltioilta, unionin toimielimiltä, työmarkkinaosapuolilta sekä muilta 
järjestöiltä ja yksilöiltä. Komission pyynnöstä Euroopan elin-ja työolojen kehittämissäätiö 
laati yhteenvedon eri vastauksista, ja nämä julkaistiin valkoisen kirjan oheisjulkaisuna -
yhdessä jäsenvaltioilta ja unionin toimielimiltä saatujen vastausten kanssa. 
Kesäkuussa 1994 komissio antoi valkoisen kirjan Euroopan sosiaalipolitiikan 
kehittämisestä. Se perustuu yhteisön peruskirjaan työntekijöiden sosiaalisista 
perusoikeuksista sekä komission vuoden 1989 sosiaalisen toimintaohjelman saavutuksiin, 
ja pyrkii kartoittamaan tietä Euroopan sosiaalipolitiikan ensi vuosisadan kehitykselle. 
Valkoisessa kirjassa esitetään siksi strategia, jolla lujitetaan ja kehitetään unionin 
sosiaalipolitiikan tulevaisuuden toimia. Siinä ehdotetaan useita erityistoimenpiteitä, joilla 
voidaan lyhyessä ajassa saavuttaa konkreettista edistystä. Siinä myös ehdotetaan muita 
aloja tarkkailtaviksi ja kehitettäviksi pidemmällä ajalla. Nämä toimet vahvistetaan 
tulevassa komission työohjelmassa, joka esitellään vuoden 1995 aikana sen jälkeen, kun 
valkoisessa kirjassa esitellyistä ehdotuksista on kuultu jäsenvaltioita, unionin toimielimiä 
ja muita asianomaisia elimiä. Valkoisen kirjan keskeinen painopiste on työttömyyden 
vastainen taistelu sekä uusien hyvien, vakaiden työpaikkojen luominen, ja siinä 
korostetaan koulutukseen ja ammatilliseen koulutukseen tehtävien sijoitusten keskeistä 
merkitystä sekä ehdotetaan toimia, joilla pyritään asteittain kehittämään 
ammattikoulutuspolitiikka unionin tasolla. Valkoisessa kirjassa myös määritellään 
painopisteet työvoimalainsäädännön, terveyden ja turvallisuuden, miesten ja naisten tasa-
arvoisten mahdollisuuksien, työntekijöiden vapaan liikkuvuuden, sosiaaliturvan ja 
8 
sosiaalitoiminnan, kansanterveyden, sosiaalisen vuoropuhelun ja vapaaehtoisten järjestöjen 
aseman, kansainvälisen yhteistyön sekä sosiaalialan lainsäädännön toteuttamisen ja 
täytäntöönpanon osalta. 
TABLE OF CONTENTS 
INTRODUCTION 1 fato 
1. Çpninmnity Charter 
1.00 Labour market, with special reference to 
the European Social Fund 4 
1.01 Employment and remuneration . . 7 
1.02 Improvement of living and working conditions 9 
1.03 Freedom of movement 12 
1.04 Social protection 16 
1.05 Worker participation 17 
1.06 Equal treatment for men and women 18 
1.07 Vocational training 21 
1.08 Health and safety protection for workers 23 
1.09 Protection of children and young people 27 
1.10 The elderly 30 
1.11 Disabled people 31 
2. Agreement on Social Policy 
2.1 The Commission's communication of 14 December 1993 —" 
concerning the implementation of the Protocol 33 
2.2 Application of the Agreement: Information and 
consultation of employees - 42 
3. The future of European social policy 
3.1 The Green Paper and the consultation process 46 
3.2 The White Paper on European social policy: 
A way forward for the Union 47 
ANNEX 51 
INTRODUCTION 
1 The Community Charter of the Fundamental Social Rights of Workers was 
adopted by eleven of the heads of state and government at the European Council 
of Strasbourg on 8 and 9 December 1989. The Protocol on Social Policy states 
that "eleven Member States wish to continue along the path laid down in the 1989 
Social Charter", and authorises them to "have recourse to the institutions, 
procedures and mechanisms of the Treaty for the purposes of taking among 
themselves and applying as far as they are concerned the acts and decisions 
required"; it goes on to say that this is "without prejudice to the provisions of the 
Treaty, particularly those relating to social policy which constitute an integral part 
of the acquis communautaire". For its part, the Agreement says that the 
"Community and the Member States shall have as their objectives the promotion 
of employment, improved living and working conditions, proper social protection, 
dialogue between management and labour, the development of human resources 
with a view to lasting high employment and the combating of exclusion. To this 
end the Community and the Member States shall implement measures which take 
account of the diverse forms of national practices, in particular in the field of 
contractual relations, and the need to maintain the competitiveness of the 
Community economy." 
2 The entry into force of the Treaty on European Union on 1 November 1993 
automatically gave effect to the Protocol on Social Policy and to the Agreement 
on Social Policy. 
3 Community' action implementing the Charter and the Agreement is based, with a 
view to improving living and working conditions in particular, on three 
fundamental principles: 
the principle of subsidiarity, bearing in mind the specific nature of the 
social field, whereby each of the areas for action should meet with the 
most appropriate response (e.g. harmonisation, coordination, convergence, 
cooperation, etc.), having regard to the needs as ascertained and the 
potential added value of Community action; 
the principle of respect for the diversity of national systems, cultures and 
practices, where such diversity is a positive element in the realisation of 
the internal market; 
preservation of business competitiveness, having regard to the need to 
reconcile economic and social considerations. In any initiative, a balance 
must be sought and found. 
" 4 The method adopted by the Commission for implementing these initiatives calls 
for a broad measure of prior consultation both of the Member States and of the 
1 fex^> 
social partners within the advisory committees, "ad hoc" consultations and more 
formal consultations under the social dialogue. As regards the social dialogue, the 
Commission wishes to underline the positive contribution made by the social 
partners in developing the social dimension thanks to their wide range of joint 
opinions and declarations1. 
Mention should be made here of the important role which the European 
Parliament and the Economic and Social Committee have played in this regard. 
Parliament has frequently stressed that the social dimension is a fundamental 
condition for realisation of the internal market, while the Commission - despite 
Parliament's criticism of certain specific aspects of Commission proposals - agrees 
with Parliament that today's Community is proposing two new frameworks for 
fleshing out the legal aspects of the European social model: the Community 
Charter of the Fundamental Social Rights of Workers and the forthcoming 
European citizenship, which should emerge along with political union and in 
parallel to Economic and Monetary Union reforms2. The Economic and Social 
Committee has likewise been very constructive, particularly in the Charter's start­
up phase; its opinions have made a-positive contribution to the progressive and 
coherent realisation of Community social policy. 
Paragraph 29 of the Charter calls on the Commission to establish each year a 
report on the application of the Charter. There have now been three such reports, 
merged with the earlier report on social developments in the Community (Article 
122 of the Treaty on European Union). Article 7 of the Agreement on Social 
Policy states that the Commission shall draw up a report each year on progress 
in achieving the objectives of Article 1, including the demographic situation in the 
Community In its communication on the application of the Protocol on Social 
Joint opinion on the creation of a European area for occupational and geographical mobility and 
improvement of the operation of the labour market in Europe (13 February 1990). on general 
education, initial training, vocational training and adult education (19 June 1990): on new 
technologies, organisation of work, flexibility of the labour market (10 January 1991). on the 
transition from school to adult and working life (5 April 1991): on the broadest and most effective 
access possible to continuing vocational training (20 December 1991): on occupational 
qualifications and certification (13 October 1992); on the action and future role of the Community 
in education and training, bearing in mind the role of the social partners (28 July 1993); on women 
and vocational training (3 December 1993). 
Agreement of 31 October 1991 on the role of the social partners. 
A new concerted growth strategy for more employment (3 July 1992). Joint declaration on the 
future of the social dialogue (3 July 1992). Recommendation by the ETUC. UNICE and CEEP on 
the operation of multisectoral advisory committees (June 1993). Management and labour proposals 
for implementing the Agreement attached to the Protocol on social policy in the Treaty on 
European Union (29 October 1993). Outline plan for the broad lines of economic polic> 
(5 December 1993). 
European Parliament. Social Affairs. Draft report on the European labour market after 1992. Part 
DC: the European social model. PE 151.130/IX. 30 May 1991. and Resolution A3-0238/92. 8 July 
1992. 
Policy3, the Commission decided that this report should, for practical reasons, be 
merged with the report on application of the Charter. 
As regards the Social Charter, this report has been drawn up along the same lines 
as its three predecessors and as such constitutes an update of the third report as 
at 31 December 1994. However, for reasons to do with scheduling arrangements, 
the part concerning the application of the Charter by the Member States will be 
the subject of a separate report. 
COM(93) 600 final. 14 December 1993. 
3 

1. THE COMMUNITY CHARTER OF THE FUNDAMENTAL 
SOCIAL RIGHTS OF WORKERS 
1.00 LABOUR MARKET 
EUROPEAN SOCIAL FUND 
1 In 1994, after three consecutive years in which the numbers in work declined 
progressively, this came to a halt and the outlook improved significantly. We need 
growth to solve the unemployment and social problems but, as stated in the report 
on "Employment in Europe 1994", we "... need more than growth. We also need 
to create a more employment-intensive pattern of growth - using all the means and 
instruments available to us." In this context, the Commission set out its views on 
the causes and the strategy for addressing the underlying structural changes 
required to improve the employment situation in the White Paper on Growth, 
Competitiveness and Employment which was examined by the European Council 
in December 1993. One of the principal messages of the White Paper is that the 
employment-intensity of growth in the Community must be improved if a long-
term solution to unemployment is to be found. During 1994 the Commission has 
been carrying out detailed studies on the various proposals in the White Paper and 
put before the European Council at Essen an Action Plan for Employment which 
sets the framework for the Member States' actions to address the structural issues 
involved. 
In December 1994. the Essen Council established a priority for "continuing and 
strengthening the strategy of the White Paper in order to consolidate growth, 
improve the competitiveness of the European economy and the quality of the 
environment in the European Union and - given the still intolerably high level of 
unemployment - create more jobs for our citizens". The European Council 
committed the Member States to include in a multi-annual programme 
recommendations relating to the following five priority employment areas: 
Improve workers' employability by promoting investment in vocational 
training. This particularly concerns lifelong learning and access to training 
for all. 
Increasing the employment-intensiveness of growth, in particular by: 
more flexible organisation of work in a way which fulfils both the 
wishes of employees and the requirements of competition; 
a wage policy which encourages job-creating investments and in 
the present situation requires moderate wage agreements below 
increases in productivity; 
and, finally, the promotion of initiatives, particularly at regional 
and local level, that create jobs which take account of new 
requirements, e.g. in the environmental and social services spheres. 
Lower indirect labour costs, particularly in respect of unskilled workers 
On this point, proper targeting is the key to effectiveness. 
A more effective labour market policy, particularly with reference to the 
employment services. 
More effective measures in favour of groups particularly affected by 
unemployment, offering a brighter outlook for young people by offering 
them either work or training. 
Set up by the Treaty of Rome to provide hack-up for employment and to promote 
the geographical and occupational mobility of workers within the Community, the 
scope of the European Social Fund was extended by the Maastricht Treaty and by 
the 1993 regulations concerning the Structural Funds. 
This new reform, which confirmed the operational principles of the Structural 
Funds as defined in 1988 (multi-annual programming, partnership and synergy 
between the various structural instruments), sees the Fund's remit extended to 
include the prevention of unemployment under a new Objective 4, which deals 
with adapting workers to industrial change and changes in production systems, and 
taking in educational activities in the poorest regions of the Union. It is also 
characterised by a quest for flexibility, in that the rules no longer lay down strictly 
what measures are eligible, meaning in turn that joint funding arrangements are 
available for training/employment measures under various Community structural 
policy objectives covered by the ESF, viz.: 
regional development objectives: Objective 1 (economic adjustment of 
regions whose development is lagging behind), Objective 2 (economic 
conversion of declining industrial areas) and Objective 5b (development 
of rural areas), to which must be added, with the enlargement of the 
Community, the new Objective 6 designed especially for the very sparsely 
populated regions of Sweden and Finland; 
the "horizontal" objectives, i.e. those applying throughout the Community. 
Objective 3 (combating long-term unemployment and facilitating the 
integration into working life of young people and of persons exposed to 
exclusion from the labour market) and Objective 4 (see above). 
In more general terms, the new rules are characterised by a desire for a more 
strategic approach targeting the Community's priorities in the field of employment 
and the development of human resources, as defined in the White Paper on 
growth, competitiveness and employment and the White Paper on social policy. 
To meet these varied demands, enhanced financial resources have been made 
available to the ESF: approx. ECU 25 billion were committed over the period 
1989-93, compared with a likely approx. ECU 42 billion over the six-year period 
1994-99 in the 15 Member States of the Community. Something like 90% of ESF 
resources are used in the context of multi-annual programmes (i.e. Community 
Support Frameworks or Single Programming Documents), which lay down the 
amounts and priorities for each Member State and each objective over the coming 
years. The rest is covered by programmes presented by the Member States under 
the Community Initiatives, which seek to promote local, innovative and 
transnational approaches in the field of training and employment. The Social Fund 
is particularly closely associated with two of these Initiatives: 
the Employment Initiative, with a budget of ECU 1.4 billion for the period 
1994-99 and three main strands (NOW for equal opportunities on the 
labour market, YOUTHSTART for training and employment for the under-
20s, and HORIZON for the most vulnerable people on the labour market, 
particularly the disabled); 
the ADAPT initiative (with a budget of ECU 1.4 billion over the period 
1994-99), which is concerned with the adaptation of workers to industrial 
change. 
The main decisions concerning the ESF for the coming years were made in 1994, 
i.e. the Community Support Frameworks and most of the operational programmes 
or single programming documents for the various objectives, along with the 
programmes presented by the Member States under the various Community 
Initiatives. 
The CSFs and the SPDs for the various objectives (accounting for some ECU 
40 billion in the period 1994-99) show a strong trend towards regions whose 
development is lagging behind (51% of measures) and for Objectives 3 and 4 
(accounting for 31% of allocated monies), with the rest going to Objectives 2 and 
5b. In addition, a total of approx. ECU 3.5 billion is available for the Community 
Initiative programmes (ECU 2.8 billion of which is earmarked for ADAPT and 
Employment). 
The new CSFs reflect a more coherent and strategic approach to the development 
of human resources and improvement of the labour market, the aim being to 
concentrate resources on the more pro-active employment policy measures. The 
ESF's intention is to ensure that its resources are put to the most effective use for 
the Community's priorities, which means: 
improved access to, and quality of, education and initial training, more 
particularly by way of the progressive development of a programme 
guaranteeing education or skilled training for all young people 
(YOUTHSTART), and the realisation of human potential in the field of 
research, science and technology (under Objectives 1, 2, 5b and 3); 
enhanced competitiveness and prevention of unemployment by gearing 
workers for change through a systematic approach to continuing training 
(Objectives 1, 2, 5b and 4); 
improved employment prospects for persons at risk of long-term 
unemployment and exclusion, by way of "integration pathways" (under 
Objectives 1 and 3), with a range of measures to foster the occupational 
integration of the people concerned. Special attention will go to boosting 
the local approach, widening the partnership arrangements at regional and 
local levels and providing assistance for new sources of jobs. Finally, 
equal opportunities for men and women on the labour market constitutes 
a priority which applies across the board to all Social Fund measures. 
1.01 EMPLOYMENT AND REMUNERATION 
1 In its action programme relating to the implementation of the Charter, the 
Commission took the view that "faced with the considerable development of very 
varied forms of employment contracts other than those of an open-ended nature, 
there should be a Community framework ensuring a minimum of consistency 
between these various forms of contract in order to avoid the danger of distortions 
of competition and to increase the transparency of the labour market at 
Community level". 
The Commission takes the view that there can be no casting doubt on the need 
for these particular forms of employment relationship, which are held to be 
essential in terms of a coherent strategy for growth and jobs. The point here is to 
define a number of basic provisions which, on the one hand, respect the need for 
businesses to be flexible and, on the other, take into account the aspirations of 
workers, allowing for the wide range of situations in the Member States and the 
bargaining autonomy of the two sides of industry. 
2 On the strength of these considerations, the Commission has proposed a set of 
fundamental provisions in respect of "non-standard work", comprising three 
instruments (part-time working, fixed-duration employment and temporary work) 
to meet three specific needs: 
to improve the functioning of the internal market and to make the labour 
market more transparent within the context of economic and social 
cohesion (legal basis Article 100a of the EEC Treaty); 
to improve living and working conditions for workers (legal basis Article 
100 of the EEC Treaty); 
to protect the health and safety of workers at work4 (legal basis Article 
118a of the EEC Treaty). 
COM(90)228 final - SYN 280 and SYN 281. 13 August 1990. \ 
7 
Of the three proposals, only that based on Article 118a, which covers temporary 
workers and workers with a fixed-duration contract, has so far been adopted by 
the Council of Ministers - on 25 June 19915. 
The other two proposals (one with regard to distortions of competition, based on 
Article 100a, the other on working conditions, based on Article 100) which also 
cover part-time workers faced major difficulties in the Council, with very little 
progress being made in the period 1991-93. 
The efforts of the Belgian presidency failed to produce a breakthrough in the 
Council in the second half of 1993. The German presidency made treatment of the 
pending proposals again a top priority. They were discussed in several meetings 
of the Social Questions Group and were the subject of an orientation debate in the 
Council meeting of 22 September 1994 and of a final debate in the Council 
meeting of 6 December 1994. At the latter meeting it was formally confirmed that 
unanimous adoption of the Commission proposals, or even of a pan of them, by 
the twelve or fifteen Member States could no longer be expected in the near 
future. 
The Commission strongly regrets the failure of the Council to make substantive 
progress on the Commission proposals on non-standard work. It considers in 
particular that action is urgently needed to ensure that part-time work is attractive 
and that part-time workers are properly treated, in order to reinforce the 
contribution which this form of work can make to reducing unemployment. As 
stated in the White Paper on European social policy, the Commission will initiate 
consultations with the social partners under the Agreement on Social Policy on the 
issue of working conditions for "non-standard" employees, in particular part-time 
workers, fixed-term workers and temporary agency workers. 
The Charter reaffirms the principle under which all employment must be fairly 
remunerated, pointing out that "in accordance with arrangements applying in each 
country, workers shall be assured of an equitable wage, i.e. a wage sufficient to 
enable them to have a decent standard of living". Consequently, and respecting in 
full the principle of subsidiarity, the Commission intends neither to enact 
legislation nor to propose binding instruments on pay. It does, though, take the 
view that it would be apposite to pinpoint a number of basic principles regarding 
equitable pay, bearing in mind social and economic realities and making use of 
the usual instruments of economic and social policy, particularly those designed 
to stimulate economic growth, boost productivity, combat discrimination1 and 
ensure solidarity between the various social groups. In this context, the 
Commission adopted, on 1 September 19936, an opinion on an equitable wage, the 
Council Directive of 25 June 1991 (91/383/EEC) supplementing the measures to encourage 
improvements in the safety and health at work of workers with a fixed-duration employment 
relationship or a temporary employment relationship: OJ L 206. 29.7.1991. 
COM(93) 388 final. 
8 
final version reflecting the view of the European Parliament and of the Economic 
and Social Committee 
1.02 IMPROVEMENT OF LIVING AND 
WORKING CONDITIONS 
1 After almost three years of negotiations between the European Parliament, the 
Council and the Commission, the proposal for a Directive concerning certain 
aspects of the organisation of working time7 was adopted, under Article 118a of 
the TEU, by the Council on 23 November 1993*. The Directive applies to all 
sectors apart from transport, seafarers and doctors undergoing training and does 
not affect the Member States' freedom to apply or introduce provisions which are 
more favourable to workers. 
The Directive requires the Member States to take the necessary measures to 
ensure that workers have: 
a minimum daily rest period of at least 11 consecutive hours out of 24; 
a weekly rest period of at least 35 consecutive hours on average; 
entitlement to a rest break, to be agreed by the social partners or by 
national legislation, when the working day is longer than six hours; 
a minimum period of paid annual leave of four weeks pursuant to national 
legislation and/or practice; 
maximum weekly working time of 48 hours on average, including 
overtime. 
The Directive further states that the normal working time of a night worker may 
not exceed eight hours on average per 24-hour period and that workers must have 
access to a free medical check-up before being assigned to night work and at 
regular intervals thereafter. Where workers have health problems associated with 
night work, they must be transferred, whenever possible, to a daytime job 
Employers who regularly employ workers on night work are required to inform 
the authorities responsible for health and safety. In addition, night workers must 
enjoy a level of health and safety protection which is geared to the nature of their 
work and the requisite protection services or resources. 
COM(90) 317 final - SYN 295. 20 September 1990. 
Council Directive 93/104/EC of 23 November 1993 concerning certain aspects of the organisation 
of working time (OJ L 307. 13.12.1993). 
9 
10 The Member States are required to implement the Directive by 23 November 
1996. However, one Member State may opt not to apply Article 6 on the 
maximum weekly working time provided certain conditions are met, including 
compliance with the general principles of health and safety of workers. 
Similarly, the Member States may, for the purposes of applying Article 7 (on 
annual leave arrangements) make use of a maximum transitional period of three 
years with effect from 23 November 1996, provided that, during this transitional 
period, workers are entitled to three weeks' paid leave and provided such leave is 
not replaced by a financial consideration, except in relation to the termination of 
employment. 
Acting on a Commission proposal9, the Council adopted a Directive on provision 
of a form of proof of an employment relationship10. The Directive makes it 
mandatory for employers to inform their workers of the conditions applicable to 
the contract or employment relationship, and thus makes a contribution to 
improving the transparency of a labour market which is undergoing change with 
potential for altering the situation of workers in the kind of employment 
relationship which genera ly falls outside the traditional pattern. We are now 
witnessing the emergence of new forms of distance work, work experience 
schemes and mixed employment-training contracts, more flexible forms of part-
time and full-time working and, in more general terms, the development of new 
forms of work which tend to obscure the situation of large numbers of workers, 
making it confused, uncertain and unstable. As a result, conventional concepts of 
what is meant by workers, employed persons, working time, etc. are no longer 
covered by conventional labour law. Under the Directive, all workers have a right 
to know for whom and where they are working and what the essential conditions 
of the employment relationship are. 
On 18 September 1991 the Commission proposed a Directive amending Directive 
75/129/EEC concerning the approximation of Member States' legislation on 
collective redundancies11. Fifteen years of Directive 75/129/EEC and the impact 
of the internal market on business restructuring made it necessary to amend the 
original Directive. With transnational business restructuring gathering pace on the 
eve of completion of the internal market, redundancies are increasingly being 
decided at a higher level of business than that of the direct employer, i.e by a 
company exercising control over a group, whether it be situated in the same 
Member State as the employer or in an entirely different one, or by the central 
management of a multiple-branch undertaking, with the actual employer being 
located in a different Member State entirely. The Council adopted these 
COM(90) 563 final. 8 January 1991. 
Council Directive (91/533/EEC) of 14 October 1991 on an employer's obligation to inform 
employees of the conditions applicable to the contract or employment relationship. OJ L 288. 
18.10.1991. 
OJL 48. 22.2.1975. 
10 
amendments on 24 June 199212. The Directive widens the field of application of 
Directive 75/129/EEC as regards redundancies decided by such decision-making 
centres, but ensures that such centres supply employers with all the information 
they need to inform and consult workers' representatives and notify the competent 
public authority of the plans. The Directive also seeks to extend workers' rights 
as regards information and consultation to cases of redundancy resulting from a 
court decision. 
On 8 September 199413 the Commission proposed a revised version of Council 
Directive 77/187/EEC of 14 February 1977 on the approximation of the laws of 
the Member States relating to the safeguarding of employees' rights in the event 
of transfers of undertakings, businesses or parts of businesses. This proposal sets 
out to revise the Directive in the light of the completion of the internal market, 
legislative tendencies in the Member States regarding ways of safeguarding firms 
in difficulties, the changing aspects of European Court of Justice case law. the 
already adopted revision of the Directive on collective redundancies, and the 
legislative provisions in force in most of the Member States. The essential 
changes are concerned with: 
clarifying the existing Directive's field of application and definitions; 
clarifying the way the Directive applies to the transfer of one single aspect 
of the undertaking's activities; 
clarifying the way the Directive's obligations apply to international transfer 
decisions and to groups of undertakings; 
limiting the joint liability of the transferor and the transferee; 
allowing more flexibility when it comes to transfers effected under 
insolvency arrangements. 
With a view to clarification and transparency, it is also proposed to repeal the 
Directive currently in force and recast the texts. 
On the migrant worker front, the European Council meeting in Hanover in June 
1988 called on the Commission to draw up a report on the social integration of 
migrant workers. The European Council of 8 and 9 December 1989 called in turn 
for an inventory of national positions on immigration with a view to preparing the 
ground for a discussion of the matter in the Council. Against this background, the 
Commission's report on the "Social integration of migrants from non-member 
12 
13 Council Directive 92/56/EEC of 24 June 1992. OJ L 245. 26.8.1992. 
OJC274. 1.10.1994. 
11 
countries residing permanently and legally in the Member States"14 gave a first 
indication of the legal and de facto situation of immigrants. 
A second report entrusted by the Commission to a group of experts and entitled 
"Policies on immigration and the social integration of migrants in the European 
Community"15 made a major contribution to a more in-depth look at this question. 
The European Council of 14 and 15 December 1990 took note of this latter report 
and asked the General Affairs Council and the Commission to "examine the most 
appropriate measures and actions regarding aid to countries of emigration, entry 
conditions and aid for social integration...". In addition, shortly after the entry into 
force of the Treaty on European Union, the Commission transmitted, on 
23 February 1994, to the Council and Parliament a communication on immigration 
and asylum16 covering all aspects of the problem, including the integration of 
immigrants in host countries. 
1.03 FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT 
1 Concerning the freedom to provide services, on 28 June 1991 the Commission put 
forward a proposal for a Council Directive concerning the posting of workers in 
the framework of the provision of services17. The Commission's aims behind this 
proposal were to have the Council ensure that Member States coordinate their 
laws to establish a core of rules and regulations affording minimum protection. 
The European Parliament gave its opinion on 10 February 1993, whereupon the 
Commission amended its proposal on 16 June 1993. 
Discussion on this proposal was regarded by the German and French Presidency 
as a priority matter; however, despite all efforts to date, it has proved impossible 
to achieve a common position on this proposal. 
2 With a view to making freedom of movement for workers more effective and 
working towards the creation of a genuine European labour market, the EURES 
system (European Employment Services) was set up18 to act (a) as a European-
level employment agency with a remit to inform, advise and place jobseekers 
throughout Europe and (b) as a forum for examining, at operational level, any 
question concerning employment in Europe. The network was officially launched 
in November 1994. 
EURES is a cooperative network mobilising the public employment services in 
all the countries of the European Economic Area and other regional, national and 
14 
15 
16 
17 
18 SEC(89) 924 final, 22 June 1989. 
SEC(90) 1813 final, 28 September 1990. 
COM(94) 23 final. 
COM(91) 230 final - SYN 346; OJ C 225, 30.8.1991. 
Council Regulation (EEC) No 2434/92, OJ L 245, 26.8.1992. 
12 
international players involved in employment. 350 Euroadvisers, specially trained 
and covering the whole of the EEA, are the operational arm of EURES. The 
network makes it possible for all workers to find out what jobs are vacant in the 
countries of their choice. Any firm wishing to recruit workers from outside its 
national territory can take a look at mobility-motivated candidates and can 
circulate its job vacancies through the EURES partners. The network thus 
constitutes an additional resource for workers who wish to exercise their right to 
mobility, while for the major companies, it is a potential source of useful 
information and a means of recruiting labour. EURES also incorporates specific 
structures reflecting the problems of cross-border workers, grouped together under 
the heading "Cross-border EURES". 
3 The Commission's systematic work on application of Article 48(4) of the EC 
Treaty (employment in the public services)19 has proceeded satisfactorily. As a 
result of this work and of resultant infringement proceedings against all the 
Member States concerned, nationality is no longer a condition for access to a 
substantial number of public-service jobs in many of the Member States. 
4 In its recommendation of 21 December 199320, the Commission advocated certain 
solutions with a view to resolving the tax problems of workers taking advantage 
of their right to freedom of movement, and particularly frontier workers, so as to 
guarantee equal treatment. The scheme proposed in this recommendation is that 
all persons exercising an economic activity (as paid employees and on a self-
employed basis) in a Member State other than their country of residence should 
enjoy the same tax treatment as residents provided they obtain at least 75% of 
their total income in the country of work. 
5 On the basis of Article 8b(l) of the EC Treaty, as incorporated by the Treaty on 
European Union, the Commission presented to the Council a proposal for a 
Directive laying down detailed arrangements for the exercise of the right to vote 
and to stand as a candidate in municipal elections by the citizens of the Union 
residing in a Member State of which they are not nationals21. This Directive, 
which was adopted by the Council on 19 December 199422, follows on from the 
Directive on the right to vote and to stand in European Parliament elections, and 
constitutes the second element of implementation of one of the principal rights of 
citizenship of the European Union as enshrined in Article 8b(l) of the EC Treaty, 
which provides that "every citizen of the Union residing in a Member State of 
which he is not a national shall have the right to vote and to stand as a candidate 
at municipal elections ... under the same conditions as nationals of that State". The 
Directive leaves it up to nationals of the Union to vote in their country of 
residence and, where appropriate, in their country of origin, and addresses the 
19 
20 
21 
22 OJC72, 18.3.1988. 
OJL39, 10.2.1,994. 
OJ C 105, 13.4.1994. 
OJL 368, 31.12.1994. 
13 
problem of access to the functions of mayor and deputy mayor by stating that 
Member States may reserve or limit access to such functions, and the election of 
a parliamentary assembly, to their own nationals. Generally speaking, the 
Directive is based on the principle that any derogation from the general rules must 
be justified by problems which are specific to a Member State and must be 
reexamined in connection with the report to be submitted by the Commission by 
the end of 1998. The derogations accepted by the Council are aimed more 
particularly at enabling Member States in which specific problems may arise as 
a result of non-nationals of that country exceeding 20% of the total number of 
citizens of the Union residing there to reserve the right to vote and to stand in 
elections to persons who have resided in that country for a minimum period. The 
transposition deadline is 1 January 1996; the Directive will be reexamined in 
connection with the report to be submitted by the Commission by the end of 1998. 
6 The point should be made that Article 8b(l) constitutes an application of the 
principle of equality and non-discrimination between national and non-national 
citizens and a corollary to the right of freedom of movement and residence 
enshrined in Article 8a of the Treaty. 
7 The Commission's proposals23 for amending Council Regulation No 1612/68 and 
Council Directive 68/360/EEC regarding workers and their families moving and 
residing within the Community are still pending at the Council. 
8 A proposal for a Regulation24 designed to include special schemes for civil 
servants and to facilitate the coordination of schemes applicable to all persons not 
yet covered by the regulations - insofar as they are insured in a Member State -
has been submitted to the Council. 
9 Bearing in mind the changes which Member States have made to their social 
security laws and the need to make certain technical changes, a Regulation was 
23 
24 OJ C 100, 21.4.1989; OJ C 119. 15.5.1990. 
Proposal for a Council Regulation amending Regulation (EEC) No 1408/71 on the application of 
social security schemes to employed persons, to self-employed persons and members of their 
families moving within the Community, and Regulation (EEC) No 574/72 laying down the 
application arrangements for Regulation (EEC) No 1408/71, OJ C 46, 20.2.1992. 
14 
adopted on 30 June 199325 and a proposal for a Regulation presented26 with a 
view to amending Regulations No 1408/71, 574/72, 1247/92 and 1945/93. 
10 The Agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA) and the Protocol adjusting 
the Agreement on the European Economic Area27 entered into force on 1 January 
1994. Referring to Annex VI to the Agreement on Community rules concerning 
social security, Austria, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden now form part of 
the coordination scheme, with a view to facilitating the free movement of workers 
throughout the EEA. 
11 The Commission's programme of legislation for 1995 makes provision for 
consolidation of the Community rules on social security for migrant workers. The 
necessary preparatory work has already been taken in hand. 
12 The tack of coordination, the diversity and multiplicity of supplementary schemes 
and the fact that they are increasing in importance over statutory social security 
schemes make it a very complex matter to organise the transferability of rights in 
the event of worker mobility between the Member States. This is why the 
Commission adopted, on 17 July 1991, a "Communication on supplementary 
social security schemes"28, which takes the form of a consultation and information 
document intended by the Commission to set in motion a Community-wide debate 
on supplementary retirement pension schemes. The communication was not 
intended to make any kind of value judgment on existing national systems, but 
merely to present an inventory of problems posed by supplementary schemes in 
respect of worker mobility. The point of the transferability of supplementary 
pension rights is to get rid of obstacles to the free movement of workers caused 
by the absence of Community provisions protecting such workers from the loss 
of their rights. In this respect the Commission, in accordance with the White 
Paper on European social policy, engages in consultations with a view to drafting 
a directive to establish a general framework. On the basis of these consultations, 
the Commission will adopt, in the first half of 1995, a draft directive to establish 
a genera] framework to protect the supplementary or occupational pension rights 
of workers who move across the Union. The aim of the directive is to ensure the 
appropriate protection of individual rights acquired or in process of being acquired 
by members and former members of supplementary pension schemes who move 
across national borders within the European Union. Such protection regards in 
particular the preservation and transferability of pension rights under both 
25 
26 
27 
28 Council Regulation (EEC) No 1945/93 amending Regulation (EEC) No 1408/71 on the application 
of social security schemes to employed persons, to self-employed persons and members of their 
families moving within the Community, and Regulation (EEC) No 574/72 laying down the 
application arrangements for Regulation (EEC) No 1408/71, and Regulation (EEC) No 1247/92 
amending Regulation (EEC) No 1408/71, OJ L 181, 23.7.1993. 
OJ C 14, 26.5.1994. The ESC opinion was adopted on 14 September 1994. 
OJL 1,3.1.1994. 
SEC(91) 1332. 
15 
compulsory and voluntary schemes. The directive will apply to nationals of a 
Member State, stateless persons or refugees residing within a Member State 
1.04 SOCIAL PROTECTION 
1 Solidarity with the disadvantaged sections of the population is primarily a matter 
for the Member States. However, since the mid-1970s, the Community has 
become involved in these matters too. The two Poverty programmes 1975-80 and 
1984*88 were joined by the Council Decision of 18 July 1989 establishing a new 
Community programme for the economic and social integration of the least 
privileged (1989-94). 
2 On 23 December 1992, the Commission adopted a communication entitled 
"Towards a Europe of Solidarity. Intensifying the fight against social exclusion, 
fostering integration"29. While respecting the principle of subsidiarity, the 
communication proposes overall guidelines for the action which the Community 
could take in this area. 
3 On 22 September 1993 the Commission adopted a new programme ("Medium-
term action programme to combat exclusion and promote solidarity")30, which is 
designed to follow on from the Poverty III programme, terminated in June 1994. 
4 Faced with the persistence of various forms of social exclusion, the Member 
States have tried to tackle the problem by instituting various forms of guaranteed 
resources for the worst-off. 
5 In the Resolution passed on 29 September 1989 by the Council and the Ministers 
for Social Affairs meeting within the Council on the fight against social exclusion, 
the ministers showed how much importance they attached to supplementing 
economic development policies by policies of guaranteed resources geared to the 
situation in the various Member States. The same desire for solidarity prompted 
the proposal for a Council recommendation on common criteria concerning 
sufficient resources and social assistance in the social protection systems31 The 
aim behind this draft recommendation was to get the Member States to recognise 
a general subjective right to a guarantee of sufficient resources and benefits, and 
to organise the ways and means of implementing that right. The Council adopted 
the recommendation on 24 June 199232. In application of the recommendation, the 
Commission published, at the end of 1993, a first report on "Social protection in 
Europe", which describes the social protection situation in the Member States, 
analyses the Member States' policies and examines the main problems the Member 
29 
30 
31 
32 COM(92) 542 final. 
COM(93) 435 final. 
COM(91) 161 final. 13 May 1992: OJ C 163, 22.6.1991. 
OJL 245. 26.8.1992. 
16 
States have to face in this field33. Subsequent reports will be published 
periodically by the Commission. 
At the same time, and with a view to promoting harmonisation in the levels of 
social protection, the Commission has proposed, pursuant to its stated aims in the 
Social Charter action programme, a strategy for the convergence of Member 
States' social protection policies. This strategy, set out in the proposal for a 
Council recommendation of 27 June 1992 on the convergence of social protection 
objectives and policies, sets out to be flexible, progressive and based on a 
voluntary approach on the part of the Member States34. A strategy of this kind 
implies the definition at Community level of common objectives as regards the 
convergence of social protection policies, and sets out to advance the national 
social protection systems in accordance with the Community's general objectives. 
This convergence strategy must not be seen so much as an isolated measure, but 
rather as part of a wider move towards economic and social integration, and the 
prevention of social exclusion. 
1.05 WORKER PARTICIPATION 
1 The Community instrument on equity-sharing and financial participation by 
workers, announced in the Commission's action programme, takes due account of 
the latest developments and of present policies in this area within the 
Community35. It relates essentially to panicipation by employees in their 
companies' profits and asset formation and to equity-sharing. The choice of the 
Council recommendation instrument is justified by the nature of the subject, for 
which a non-binding instrument appeared to be more suitable36. 
2 There is a wide disparity in the types of financial participation schemes currently 
in operation in the various countries. Their legal and tax statuses differ widely 
ranging from cash bonuses and profit-sharing and other forms of deferred 
participation to special equity-sharing schemes, such as the free distribution of 
shares to employees or the offer of shares on preferential terms, through share 
purchase option schemes available to all employees or just to executives, to 
shareholding trusts or company buy-outs. 
3 The recommendation is principally concerned with company-internal collective, 
continuing and participatory schemes (with direct or indirect involvement) based 
on company results. The designated objective is to encourage wide-ranging use 
of the various forms of employee participation in company profits and trading 
33 
34 
35 
36 COM(93) 531 final. 
92/442/EEC. 
COM(91) 259 final. 3 September 1991. 
Proposal for a Council recommendation concerning the promotion of employee panicipation in 
profits and enterprise results (including equity participation). OJ C 245. 20.9.1991. 
17 
results, either by profit-sharing or by equity-shareholding or a combination of the 
two. 
The Council adopted the recommendation on 27 July 199237. 
The adoption by the Council on 22 September 1994 of Directive 94/45/EC38 on 
the transnational information and consultation of workers in Community-scale 
undertakings and groups of undertakings is bound to have a considerable impact 
on other proposals which are currently up for discussion within the Council on 
this or similar subjects. 
The Commission intends to examine whether - and to what extent - the above 
directive might facilitate, or even speed up, the adoption of the other proposals 
currently pending at the Council. These concern the role of workers in the statutes 
for a European company, the structure of limited companies (the 5th Directive), 
and the European statutes for associations, cooperative and mutual societies. 
1.06 EQUAL TREATMENT FOR MEN AND WOMEN 
1 At the mid-term stage of the third medium-term Community action programme 
on equal opportunities for men and women (1991-95), the Commission believes 
that the strategic objective should be to move away from equal rights to equal 
treatment on the labour market, by way of equal opportunities in society in 
general. To this end, its initiatives are concerned with finding solutions to three 
basic problems: how to reconcile working life and family responsibilities, the 
horizontal and vertical desegregation of the labour market, and enabling women 
to participate in the decision-making process. 
2 With a view to the full implementation of the fundamental right to equal pay, and 
in accordance with the undertaking given in the Third Programme, the 
Commission adopted, on 23 June 1994, a memorandum on equal pay for work of 
equal value39, which explains and analyses current legislation and pertinent Court 
of Justice judgments. It is designed principally for employers, trade unions, legal 
experts, national equal opportunities organisations and others with a role to play 
in implementing legislation on equal pay. At a subsequent stage, the Commission 
intends to adopt a code of good practice on the equal pay issue. 
3 One of the subjects which affects the quality of women's work is protection of the 
dignity of men and women at work. By adopting, in May 1990, a resolution on 
the protection of the dignity of men and women at work40, the EU ministers 
37 
38 
39 
40 OJL 245. 26.8.1992. 
OJL 254. 30.9.1994. 
COM(94) 6. 
Resolution 90/C 157/02. 29 Mav 1990. OJ C 157. 27.6.1990. 
18 
41 
42 
43 
44 demonstrated their support for the wide-ranging measures deployed to improve the 
quality of the workplace for both sexes. The Commission, for its part, adopted a 
* recommendation41 and a code of practice as a basis for action. It also decided to 
publish a guide on combating sexual harassment, taking the form of a practical 
and pragmatic guide bringing together aspects of general policy, equal treatment 
programmes, laws and court cases. Employers, trade unions, staff representatives 
and women's organisations will all find the guide useful in devising strategies to 
combat this kind of behaviour. 
Based on Article 118a of the EEC Treaty, the proposal for a Directive concerning 
the protection at work of pregnant women or women who have recently given 
birth constitutes an individual directive within the meaning of framework 
Directive 89/391/EEC on the introduction of measures to encourage improvements 
in the safety and health of workers at work42. Its aim is to improve the standard 
of protection of pregnant women or women who have recently given birth, 
regarded as a risk group within the meaning of the framework Directive, without 
causing any deterioration in their working conditions and more particularly their 
situation on the labour market. The measures contained in this proposal relate to 
leave arrangements, duration of work and employment rights on the one hand, and 
working conditions, including exposure to agents liable to affect their health, on 
the other. It also contains a particular reference to the burden of proof in case of 
a dispute. This proposal for a Directive is in response to a major and specific 
need; on a number of occasions, the European Parliament has underlined the 
urgency of this initiative as contributing significantly to the promotion of health 
and safety of workers at work. The Council adopted the definitive text on 
19 October 199243. 
The lack of good-quality and affordable childcare facilities constitutes a major 
obstacle to women finding jobs and engaging in vocational training. This is why 
the Commission has assumed responsibility for following up the recommendation 
on childcare44, which advocates a series of measures to enable men and women 
to reconcile their occupational and family responsibilities arising from childcare 
and child-rearing duties. A questionnaire was drawn up for the Member States 
with a view to collecting the necessary information for an evaluation report on 
implementation of the recommendation, in the light of which the Commission will 
decide what measures should be proposed. 
Although the directives on equal treatment for men and women (75/117/EEC, 
76/207/EEC, 79/7/EEC and 86/378/EEC) cover a fairly wide field, they did not 
take sufficient account of the special situation of self-employed women and 
women whose professional status was unclear (i.e. neither in partnership nor in 
Recommendation 92/131/EEC. 27 November 1991: OJ L 49. 24.2.1992. 
OJL 183.29.6.1989. 
Council Directive 92/85/EEC. 19 October 1992: OJ I 348. 28.11.1992. 
Council Recommendation 92/241/EEC. 31 March 1992: OJ L 123. 8.5.1992. 
19 
45 
46 paid employment). On 11 December 1986, therefore, the Council adopted a 
Directive on the application of the principle of equal treatment between men and 
women engaged in an activity, including agriculture, in a self-employed capacity, 
and on the protection of self-employed women during pregnancy and 
motherhood45, which sought to identify the specific contribution of such workers 
to family income, give participating spouses a clearly-defined professional status 
and, consequently, guarantee their social security rights. 
On 16 September 1994, the Commission adopted a report on the implementation 
of this Directive46. While it is true that, from the strictly legal viewpoint, the 
Directive can be said to have been implemented in the Member States, the fact 
remains that the practical results are not entirely satisfactory in terms of the 
primary objective, which was to bring about a general improvement in the status 
of the helping spouse. There would seem to be a need, then, for the Commission 
and the Member States to explore ways of making progress in this field. 
Despite the efforts of the Commission and the Council presidency, it proved 
impossible to achieve adoption of the directives on parental leave and the burden 
of proof. With a view to advancing these dossiers, the Commission has therefore 
decided to make use of the Protocol on social policy. The social partners have 
been consulted on the basis of a Commission document concerning all aspects of 
the reconciliation of family and professional life. Commission will shortly submit 
to the social partners a consultative document on the subject of the burden of 
proof in equal treatment cases. 
On 28 September 1994, the Court handed down six judgments interpreting 
Article 119 of the Treaty concerning (supplementary) occupational social security 
schemes. The purpose was to clarify the judgment of 17 May 1990 in Barber, in 
which the Court had clearly stated that benefits arising from an occupational 
scheme counted as remuneration within the meaning of Article 119 of the Treaty 
as regards equal pay for men and women. Consequently, as the said article does 
not allow for exceptions to the principle of equal pay, and as it takes precedence 
over any secondary legislation, certain provisions of Directive 86/378/EEC on 
equal treatment for men and women in occupational schemes, which purported to 
allow such derogations (under Article 9 of the Directive), are inapplicable and of 
no effect as regards workers in paid employment. For this reason, and for reasons 
of legal certainty, the Commission intends to present an amendment to Directive 
86/378/EEC to bring it into line with Article 119 of the Treaty as interpreted by 
the Court of Justice. 
Directive 86/613/EEC. OJ L 359. 19.12.1986. 
COM(163)94. 
20 
1.07 VOCATIONAL TRAINING 
1 Ä More than ever before, the development and quality of vocational training are well 
and truly on the agenda and will play a major role in the Community's ability to 
deal successfully with the challenges facing it on the eve of the 21st century. This 
subject is at the very heart of the analyses and proposals which the Commission 
presented to the European Councils of Brussels and Corfu in its White Paper on 
growth, competitiveness and employment. The White Paper said that the 
Community must conduct an in-depth restructuring of its education and training 
systems, proposing as an objective an improvement in continuing, life-long 
learning and training schemes. 
2 Community action programmes in the field of vocational training have made 
enormous progress since 1987 in the wake of the adoption of the Comett 
programme. The subsequent adoption by the Council of a series of other action 
programmes, such as Eurotecnet, Petra and Force, and the recommendation on 
access to continuing training adopted in direct application of point 15 of the 
Community Charter of the Fundamental Social Rights of Workers demonstrates 
the importance attached throughout the Community to vocational training as a 
fundamental policy in terms of economic growth and social equilibrium. These 
four programmes terminate at the end of 1994. They have achieved significant and 
concrete results in creating a basis for transnational cooperation. The European 
training market, transnational training partnerships and European training networks 
have all become watchwords in the European training field, constituting reference 
. frames for the work of European training providers. 
3 The pursuit of a Community policy on vocational training is laid down by 
Article 127 of the Treaty on European Union. On the strength of this article, the 
Commission has proposed a Council Decision establishing an action programme 
for the implementation of a European Community vocational training policy 
"Leonardo da Vinci"47. The Council adopted a common position48 on the 
Commission's proposal and subsequently adopted the Decision on 6 December 
199449. The programme will cover the period 1 January 1995 to 31 December 
1999. 
4 The Leonardo da Vinci programme is therefore a Community action programme 
designed to support and supplement Member States' policies, excluding any 
element of harmonisation of Member States' legal and regulatory provisions. The 
Member States are solely responsible for the content and organisation of training. 
The most important elements of the programme are: 
47 
48 
49 OJC 67. 4.3.1994. 
Common Position (EC) No 31/94. 18 July 1994: OJ C 244. 31.8.1994. 
OJL 340. 29.12.1994. 
21 
(a) The objectives: to promote high-quality vocational training and the 
capacity for innovation in the field. 
(b) Operator support structures: to be nominated by the Member States; should 
be able to call on current programme structures as far as necessary 
(c) The role of the social partners: the social partners are essential players in 
Leonardo. They are involved in the consultation process at both 
Community and national levels. They act as operators for specific projects, 
whether or not on a joint basis. Special relations will be established 
between the programme and the social dialogue. The direct implementation 
of pilot projects by employers' organisations and trade unions, possibly 
bringing in other partners too, gives them the chance to become directly 
involved in designing specific training projects the results of which may 
be used by their organisations. These projects also constitute an important 
source of support for the development of the social dialogue at Community 
level, and an integrated monitoring mechanism for these specific projects 
will be put in place to this effect. 
(d) The measures: divided into three strands reflecting the three aims: 
Strand I: support for the improvement of vocational training systems 
and provisions in the Member States; 
Strand II: support for the improvement of vocational training 
measures, including university/business cooperation 
concerning firms and workers; 
Strand III: support for the development of language skills, knowledge 
and the dissemination of innovation in the field of 
vocational training. 
(e) Areas of training: all vocational training fields are involved: initial training 
and transition to working life; continuing training; university/business 
cooperation. Leonardo seeks to develop life-long learning arrangements. 
(f) The players: all the vocational training players are involved: public 
authorities, undertakings, social partners at national and Community level, 
public and private-sector training organisations, universities. Partnership 
arrangements between these various players are also sought. 
(g) Coordination and synergy of resources. Leonardo places special emphasis 
on coordination with other Community measures and seeks 
complementarity between measures and funding from the European Social 
Fund. 
(h) Evaluation: evaluation provisions, on a partnership basis between the 
Commission and the Member States, are designed to boost the visibility 
22 
and knowledge of Community measures and their impact on national 
systems. 
(i) Enlargement: the Leonardo programme will also be open to the associate 
countries of central and eastern Europe and to Cyprus and Malta, so as to 
strengthen potential interaction between the development of vocational 
training policy in the Union and support given by the Union to vocational 
training measures in those countries. 
In close conjunction with the social partners at Community level, a social dialogue 
back-up measure on continuing training has been set in place at the Commission's 
initiative. This is designed to identify, collect and analyse innovative continuing 
training practices involving dialogue between the social partners. It can therefore 
be used to pinpoint themes of common interest for the social dialogue and to 
support them by way of specific examples This arrangement is closely linked to 
the social dialogue proper and is intended to evolve towards a lasting base of 
information and observation of innovative practices in the field of training, with 
a view to strengthening the dialogue between the social partners. 
The social partners have also deepened their substantial contribution to the 
development of vocational training by their work within the social dialogue on 
two themes: 
under the third remit assigned to the Social Dialogue Education/Training 
Group by way of a draft joint opinion - which is now being finalised - on 
the "contribution of vocational training to the fight against unemployment 
and the reintegration of the unemployed in the labour market"; 
under the fourth remit assigned to the same Group, which is to reexamine 
the joint opinions in the field of education and vocational training with a 
view to coordinating them, making them more consistent and, where 
necessary, updating them against the background of the White Paper on 
growth, competitiveness and employment. On this basis, new subjects 
could be dealt with on a joint basis so as to meet current challenges. On 
conclusion of this examination, and without prejudice to the result, the 
Social Dialogue Committee will decide on what the outcome should be 
within the context of the social dialogue. 
1.08 HEALTH AND SAFETY PROTECTION 
FOR WORKERS 
1 Health and safety protection at work at Community level is covered by a set of 
binding provisions based, following the entry into force of the Single European 
Act, on Article 118a. The action programme implementing the Community 
Charter incorporated new proposals in a number of sectors in which safety is an 
important issue. There are ten proposals for individual directives based for the 
23 
main part on the framework Directive (89/391/EEC), together with two further 
initiatives concerning occupational diseases and the creation of a European 
Agency for Health and Safety at Work. 
Three-quarters of the proposals presented by the Commission under the 
programme have now been adopted. 
Council Directive 92/29/EEC of 31 March 1992 on the minimum safety 
and health requirements for improved medical treatment on board vessels50 
Council Directive 92/57/EEC of 24 June 1992 on the implementation of 
minimum safety and health requirements at temporary or mobile 
construction sites (8th individual Directive within the meaning of 
Article 16(1) of Directive 89/391/EEC)51. 
Council Directive 92/91/EEC of 3 November 1992 concerning the 
minimum requirements for improving the safety and health protection of 
workers in the mineral-extracting industries through drilling (11th 
individual Directive within the meaning of Article 16(1) of 
Directive 89/391/EEC)52. 
Council Directive 92/104/EEC of 3 December 1992 on the minimum 
requirements for improving the safety and health protection of workers in 
surface and underground mineral-extracting industries (12th individual 
Directive within the meaning of Article 16(1) of Directive 89/391/EEC)" 53 
Council Directive 93/193/EEC of 13 November 1993 concerning the 
minimum safety and health requirements for work on board fishing vessels 
(13th individual Directive within the meaning of Article 16(1) of 
Directive 89/391/EEC)54. 
Commission Recommendation 90/326/EEC of 22 May 1990 concerning the 
adoption of a European schedule of occupational diseases55. 
Council Directive 92/58/EEC of 24 June 1992 on the minimum 
requirements for the provision of safety and/or health signs at work (9th 
individual Directive within the meaning of Article 16(1) of 
Directive 89/391/EEC)56. 
50 OJL 113.30.4.1992. 
si 
52 
53 
54 
55 
56 OJL 245.26.8.1992. 
OJL 348.28.11.1992. 
OJL 404. 31.12.1992. 
OJL 307. 13.12.1993. 
OJL 160.26.6.1990. 
OJL 245. 26.8.1992. 
24 
57 
58 
59 Council Directive 913/382/EEC of 25 June 1991 amending Directive 
83/477/EEC on the protection of workers from the risks related to 
exposure to asbestos at work (2nd individual Directive within the meaning 
of Article 8 of Directive 80/1107/EEC)57. 
In making its recommendation of 22 May 1990 on the adoption of a European 
schedule of occupational diseases58, the Commission stated that, after a period of 
three years, it intended to look into whether binding legislative provisions were 
needed, and placed the emphasis on preventing occupational risks with a view to 
encouraging measures to reduce workplace nuisances. As part of this process, 
consultations have taken place with government representatives, revealing that the 
Member States have already, to a very great extent, incorporated the European 
schedule. The Commission intends to pursue its reexamination of the list from the 
point of view of scientific and medical progress. 
Subsequent to the Parliament's opinion at first reading, the Commission forwarded 
to the Council, on 9 June 1994, an amended proposal for a Directive on the 
protection of the health and safety of workers from the risks related to chemical 
agents at work. The Commission's amended proposal retains the structure and 
objectives of the initial proposal, but clarifies and amplifies certain of its 
provisions. The objectives are now: 
(a) to lay down minimum requirements for the protection of workers from the 
health and safety risks arising from all chemical agents present at the 
workplace; 
(b) to consolidate, update and adapt the existing provisions relating to 
chemical agents in the light of current knowledge and to align them with 
the measures provided for in Council Directive 89/391/EEC on the 
introduction of measures to encourage improvements in the safety and 
health of workers at work39; 
(c) to adopt additional requirements so as to improve the protection of 
workers from the risks arising from activities involving chemical agents; 
(d) to clarify the Community provisions on the health and safety of workers 
exposed to chemical agents and to improve the basis on which information 
is supplied to workers; 
(e) to ensure that all the preventive measures at the workplace are based on 
accurate appraisal of the risks associated with the way the chemical agents 
are used and that the protective measures take account of the 
OJL 206. 29.7.1991. 
OJ L 160. 26.6.1990. 
OJL 183.29.6.1989. 
25 
characteristics of the workplace, the activity, the circumstances and any 
specific risk. 
As part of its drive for harmonisation of conditions in the field of health and 
safety protection at work, the Council adopted, on 12 October 1993, Directive 
93/88/EEC, which makes provision for a classification of biological agents60, 
supplementing Annex III to Directive 90/679/EEC on the protection of workers 
from risks related to exposure to biological agents at work61. Part of the added text 
concerns a classification of biological agents into groups (2, 3 and 4) according 
to danger level. The amended text covers some 300 organisms. In addition, the 
amendment incorporates a code of conduct featuring recommendations on 
vaccination practice. However, vaccination will continue to be governed by 
national laws and practice. 
On 8 July 1994, the Council adopted a Regulation establishing a European 
Agency for Safety and Health at Work, with its headquarters in Bilbao62 The 
Agency's remit will be to collect and circulate technical, economic and scientific 
information on safety at work, promote and support exchanges of information and 
experience between Member States, organise conferences and seminars, provide 
the Commission with the information it needs to prepare and evaluate legislative 
texts, create a network linking up the Member States' national networks and, 
finally, collect and disseminate information on health and safety from outside the 
Union. The Commission will make a special effort to ensure that the Agency can 
become operative in 1995. 
Council Directive 92/29/EEC63 on the minimum safety and health requirements 
for improved medical treatment on board vessels will enter into force by 
31.12.1994. Vessels are unlike other workplaces in that they are mobile and 
geographically isolated, with attendant occupational risks which are higher than 
elsewhere. It is therefore essential to have specific provisions whereby "seagoing 
workers" enjoy the same level of health and safety protection as that afforded to 
workers on dry land in the Community. Three types of minimum requirements are 
laid down in the Directive: 
Firstly, all vessels, whether seagoing or operating in coastal waters, will 
be required to carry medical supplies which, in terms of quality, meet the 
minimum specifications set out in an annex. The antidotes needed on 
board vessels carrying dangerous goods are also specified, and each life 
raft must be equipped with a watertight medicine chest. Large vessels with 
more than 15 crew members must have a sick bay, whilst those with a 
crew of 100 or more will be required to have a doctor on board. The 
60 OJL 268. 29.10.1993. 
61 OJL 374. 31.12.1990. 
62 OJL 216. 20.8.1994. 
63 OJL 113.30.4.1992. 
26 
responsibility for providing and replenishing the medical supplies, which 
are to be checked annually by the Member States, will lie exclusively with 
the owner, without any expense to the workers. 
Moreover, vocational training for seamen must include medical and 
emergency measures to be taken in the event of an accident or serious 
medical emergency. 
Finally, in order to ensure better emergency treatment the Member States 
will be required to designate one or more centres capable of providing 
vessels with free medical advice by radio. 
Regarding the Directive concerning the minimum safety and health requirements 
for transport activities and workplaces on means of transport, the Commission 
presented the Council with an amended proposal in the late autumn of 199364. 
Finally, in respect of the Directive on the minimum health and safety requirements 
regarding the exposure of workers to the risks arising from physical agents, the 
Commission presented the Council with an amended proposal in July 199465. 
1.09 PROTECTION OF CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE 
1 Children and young people still constitute an important labour force reserve, the 
size of which varies from one Member State to another. In many cases, this is an 
"invisible" labour force which is not adequately covered by official statistics. 
According to Eurostat's 1989 labour force survey, there were 397 000 young 
people aged between 14 and 19 at work in Portugal, compared with 563 000 in 
Spain, 2 128 000 in the United Kingdom and 743 000 in Italy. Between 90 000 
and 200 000 children aged less than 15 were at work in Portugal in the early 
1980s according to the International Labour Organisation. In more global terms, 
according to Eurostat (1989), almost 2 million yoang people of 15 years of age 
are at work in the Community, over a third of whom are employed in the 
distributive services and in the hotel and catering trade. Most of the youngsters 
are to be found in the United Kingdom (with more than a third of the total), 
Germany (15%) and Italy (12%). 
2 It was only logical, then, for the Community Charter of the Fundamental Social 
Rights of Workers to devote special attention to the protection of children and 
young people (paragraphs 20-23). Paragraph 22 sets out the principal objectives, 
e.g. that "appropriate measures must be taken to adjust labour regulations 
applicable to young workers so that their specific development and vocational 
training and access to employment needs are met", limitations on the duration of 
64 
65 COM(93) 421 final; OJ C 325. 2.12.1993. 
COM(94) 284 final: OJ C 230. 19.8.1994. 
27 
66 
6? work and a ban on night work for workers of under 18 years of age. Paragraph 
20 says that "the minimum employment age must not be lower than the minimum 
school-leaving age and, in any case, not lower than 15 years" 
Similarly, in Chapter 11 of its action programme relating to the implementation 
of the Charter, the Commission affirmed its determination to protect young people 
from conditions of work and employment which might damage their health, safety 
and development. The Commission's aim, then, is to get the Council to adopt a 
directive on the protection of young people. The Commission adopted a proposal 
on 15 January 199266, which was scrutinised by Parliament at first and second 
readings and gave rise to a Council common position, before being finally adopted 
on 22 June 199467. 
This Directive applies to all people aged less than 18 years with an employment 
contract or employment relationship as defined by the law currently in force in a 
Member State and/or subject to the law currently in force in a Member State. 
Groups of young people are defined as follows: 
young: any person under 18 years of age; 
child: any young person who is less than 15 years of age or who is still 
undergoing full-time compulsory education in accordance with national 
law; 
adolescent: any young person of at least 15 years of age but less than 18 
who is no longer undergoing full-time compulsory education in accordance 
with national law. 
The Member States may provide that the Directive should not apply to occasional 
or short-term work in relation to domestic service in a private household or work 
regarded as not being harmful, damaging or dangerous to young people in a 
family undertaking. 
The Directive provides for Member States to take the necessary measures to ban 
work by children and to ensure that work done by young people is strictly 
regulated and protected pursuant to the conditions laid down in the Directive 
The Directive's principal objective is to ban work by children. However, the 
Member States may, subject to certain conditions, provide that this overall ban 
should not apply to: 
OJ C 84. 4.4.1992: COM(93) 35: OJ C 77. 18.3.1993. 
Council Directive 94/33/EC of 22 June 1994 on the protection of young people at work: OJ L 216. 
20.8.1994. 
28 
(a) children performing work of a cultural, artistic, sports or advertising 
nature, provided prior authorisation is given by the competent authority in 
individual cases; 
(b) children of at least 14 years of age working under a combined 
work/training scheme, provided that such work is done in accordance with 
the conditions laid down by the competent authority; 
(c) children of at least 14 years of age performing light work other than that 
covered by (a); light work may, however, be performed by children of 13 
years of age for a limited number of hours per week in the case of 
categories of work determined by national legislation. 
On the question of working time, the Directive imposes limits on children who are 
undergoing compulsory full-time schooling. To ensure that no harm is done to 
their school work and hence their long-term development as a result of excessive 
daily working times, such work is only allowable up to 12 hours per week and 2 
hours per school day. Time spent by young people on vocational training must be 
included in working time. For all adolescents and young people undergoing 
combined work/training, the maximum working time is 8 hours per day or 40 
hours per week, although these limits may be subject to derogation in certain 
cases. 
The Directive also provides for a ban on night work by children between 10 pm 
and 6 am and for adolescents between 11 pm and 7 am, with certain derogations 
possible in the latter instance. 
The Directive further features provisions on: 
general obligations on employers, e.g. safety and health of young people, 
assessment of the hazards to young people in connection with their work, 
health assessment and monitoring arrangements, information for children's 
legal representatives of possible risks to safety and health; 
the kind of work which is covered by an outright ban for young people, 
e.g. work which is beyond thçir physical or psychological capacity and 
work involving harmful exposure to dangerous agents. 
Each Member State is required to lay down any necessary measures to be applied 
in the event of failure to comply with the provisions adopted in order to 
implement the Directive. The Directive also includes a "non-reducing clause" 
relating to the level of protection afforded to young people. 
The Directive has to be transposed into the Member States' national law by 
22 June 1996. However, the United Kingdom has been given a longer deadline for 
the transposition of certain provisions regarding working time. 
29 
1.10 THE ELDERLY 
1 The substantial increase in elderly and very old people between now and the end 
of the century has made the problem of integrating such people into society acute 
throughout the Community, not to mention the economic and social implications 
of the ageing process. Enacting legislation would not have been the appropriate 
response given that different Member States have different approaches, cultures 
and traditions. 
2 However, population ageing, the shift in the ratio of the working to the non-
working population and the change in family structures are likely to have major 
social and economic implications. This is why the Commission has presented a 
communication on the elderly, together with a proposal for a Council Decision on 
Community actions for the elderly68. In the wake of this measure, the Council 
adopted a decision dated 26 November 1990 on Community actions for the 
elderly69. 
3 Among the wide range of measures proposed for the elderly, those encouraging 
sharing of experience are particularly important. To these must be added the 
Council decision proclaiming 1993 the "European Year of the Elderly and of 
Solidarity between Generations". 
4 On the basis of the Commission's proposal of 10 January 199270, the Council 
adopted, on 24 June 1992, a decision on the organisation of the European Year 
of the Elderly and of Solidarity between Generations (1993)71. 
5 On conclusion of the 1993 European Year, the Council adopted a declaration on 
the elderly, dated 6 December 199372. On 24 February 1994, the European 
Parliament adopted a resolution on the elderly. 
6 As set out in the White Paper on European social policy, the Commission has 
presented a proposal for a decision on further Union-wide action to help meet the 
challenges of an ageing population covering, in particular, the role and 
contribution of the active retired population, so as to take forward new concepts 
and practices within the European Union. 
68 
69 
70 
71 
72 COM(90) 80 final. 24 April 1990. 
OJL 28. 2.2.1991. 
OJC25. 1.2.1992. 
OJL 245. 26.8.1992. 
OJC343/A. 21.12.1993. 
30 
1.11 DISABLED PEOPLE 
1 More than 10% of European Union citizens are affected, to varying degrees, by 
physical, sensorial or mental limitations which prevent them from becoming fully 
integrated, either professionally or socially. Taking as its premise the principle that 
only an overall and consistent policy on education, functional rehabilitation, 
training, employment and social integration is capable of delivering effective 
results, the Union has developed initiatives designed to aid such an approach and 
to create a synergy and knock-on effects in the Member States. 
2 The European Social Fund and the Horizon initiative perform an important 
function in supporting and promoting training and vocational rehabilitation for the 
disabled. The Helios II programme, which was adopted by the Council on 
25 February 1993 for a period of four years, is concerned with the exchange of 
information and the promotion of original experiments for integrating handicapped 
people developed by the Member States and non-governmental organisations 
(NGOs). As a result, more than 676 partners designated by the Member States and 
more than 250 projects organised by the NGOs are covered by the programme. 
3 With a view to improving the mobility and safe transport of workers with reduced 
mobility, the Commission adopted a proposal for a Council Directive on 
19 December 199173. 
4 Following the resolution adopted by the Council and the representatives of 
Member States' governments on 16 December 1991 and of the White Paper on the 
future development of the common transport policy, the Commission submitted 
to the Council, on 26 November 1993, a report on measures to be taken in the 
Community with a view to making means of transport accessible to people with 
a mobility handicap. The Commission has proposed a range of Community 
measures on the technical standards applicable to means of transport, accessibility 
and the financing of transport infrastructure, signs and information for passengers, 
training on the special problems and needs of the disabled, and research and 
development. 
5 Finally, the White Paper on European social policy sets out the broad lines of the 
next stage of development in Community action for the disabled, focusing on: 
building on the positive experience of the European Disability Forum to 
ensure that the needs of disabled people are taken into account in relevant 
legislation, programmes and initiatives; 
73 Proposal for a Council Directive on minimum requirements to improve the mobility and the safe 
transport to work of workers with reduced mobility. (Commission proposal: OJ C 68. 16.3.1991: 
amended proposal. OJ C 15. 21.1.1992.) 
31 
preparing an appropriate instrument endorsing the UN Standard Rules on 
the Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities; 
encouraging discussions within the social dialogue on a model code of 
good practice in relation to the Commission's own personnel policies and 
practices with regard to disabled staff; 
proposing to enshrine in Community law an explicit reference to the fight 
against disability and other forms of discrimination. 
32 
2. THE AGREEMENT ON SOCIAL POLICY 
2.1 * THE COMMISSIONS COMMUNICATION 
OF 14 DECEMBER 1993 CONCERNING 
THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROTOCOL 
1 Following the entry into force of the Treaty on European Union, the Commission 
submitted a communication to the Council and Parliament explaining how it 
intended to implement the Protocol and the Agreement on social policy, the aim 
of which is to translate into action the wish on the part of the Member States, 
with the exception of the United Kingdom, to advance the social dimension of 
Europe at the same pace as the economic, commercial and monetary dimensions. 
2 The Commission points out that Article 2 (1) of the Agreement sets out the social 
policy objectives as mapped out in the 1989 Charter, covering the promotion of 
employment, improved living and working conditions, proper social protection, 
dialogue between management and labour, the development of human resources 
with a view to lasting high employment, and the combating of exclusion. These 
objectives supplement the general and specific tasks of the Community as set out 
in the Treaty establishing the European Community, as replaced by .Article 2 of 
Title II of the Treaty on European Union. 
In the first instance, the Agreement provides that the Council vote by qualified 
majority and after consulting the Economic and Social Committee on the 
following subjects: 
workers' health and safety; 
working conditions; 
information and consultation of workers; 
equal opportunities and equal treatment for men and women; 
integration of persons excluded from the labour market. 
Secondly, Article 2 (3) provides for the Council to act unanimously on a proposal 
from the Commission, after consulting the European Parliament and the Economic 
and Social Committee, in the following areas: 
financial contributions for promotion of employment and job creation; 
social security and social protection of workers; 
protection of workers where their employment contract is terminated; 
representation of workers, including co-determination; 
conditions of employment for third-country nationals legally residing in 
Community territory. 
Finally, Article 2 (6) explicitly places outside the jurisdiction of the Community 
any matters relating to pay, the right of association, the right to strike and the 
right to impose lock-outs. 
33 
The Agreement confirms the recognition, as already enshrined in Article 118B of 
the Single Act, of the fundamental role of the social partners. This recognition 
operates at two levels; 
at national level, in that "a Member State may entrust management and 
labour, at their joint request, with the implementation of directives adopted 
pursuant to the Agreement" (Article 2 (4)); 
at Community level, in that the Commission's task is to promote the 
consultation of management and labour at Community level and to take 
any relevant measure to facilitate their dialogue by ensuring balanced 
support for the parties (Articles 3 and 4). 
3 Social policy is therefore subject to autonomous and complementary legal 
frameworks: 
34 
Maastricht Protocol - Qualified majority 
(44/66) possible (Art. 2(1)) 
- improvement in particular of the 
working environment to protect 
workers' health and safety; 
- working conditions; 
- information and consultation of 
workers; 
- equality between men and women 
with regard to labour market 
opportunities and treatment at work; 
- integration of persons excluded from 
the labour market. EC Treatv - Qualified majority (54/76) 
possible 
- Art. 49: free movement of workers; 
- Art. 54: freedom of establishment; 
- Art. 57: mutual recognition of 
diplomas; 
- Art 100a: internal market. Art. 43: 
agriculture; Art. 75: transport; 
- Art. 118a: health and safety at work; 
- Art. 125 (new): ES (application 
decision); 
- Art. 127 (new): vocational training. 
Unanimity (in required (Art. 2(3» 
- social security and social protection 
of workers; 
- protection of workers where their 
employment contract is terminated; 
- representation and effective defence 
of the interests of workers and 
employers, including co-
determination; 
- conditions of employment for third-
country nationals legally residing in 
Community territory; 
- financial contributions for promotion 
of employment and job creation. 
Explicitiv excluded from Communitv 
jurisdiçtiç-n (Art- 3(6)) 
- pay; 
- right of association, right to strike, 
right to impose lock-outs. Uqanjmjty (13) squired 
- Art. 51: social security (measures 
necessary for freedom of 
movement); 
- Art. 100: internal market; 
- Art. 130d: tasks, priority objectives 
and organisation of the Structural 
Funds; 
- Art. 235: attainment of the 
Community's objectives. 
35 
The Commission's principal aim is to promote the development of a European 
social policy which will be to the advantage of all workers and citizens of the 
Union. The Commission further wants - and will work to this end - social policy 
to be once again based on a single legal foundation: in this respect, the 1996 
Intergovernmental Conference will be of decisive importance. 
At the same time, the Communication points out that the Agreement does have 
a sound legal basis given that the Protocol on social policy, which was adopted 
by all the Member States and annexed to the EC Treaty, and thus ranks as a 
treaty, allows the measures to be taken by the Member States concerned. It is 
important to stress, though, that the Protocol does not preclude institutions from 
having recourse in the social field to the provisions of the EC Treaty pursuant to 
the procedures governing all the Member States. Social policy is therefore 
governed: 
by the provisions of the EC Treaty as amended by the Treaty on European 
Union; and 
by the provisions introduced by the Agreement, which will form a new 
basis for Community action, including the possible adoption, for the 
Member States concerned, of legislative measures. 
The Communication points out that the Commission will decide on which 
procedure to adopt by taking the following considerations into account: 
the nature of the proposal; 
the attitude of the social partners to it; 
the need to ensure that the social dimension progresses at the same pace 
as other Community policies, and hence the possibility for the Council to 
reach decisions by qualified majority; 
- the desire to ensure that all workers throughout the Community benefit 
from the proposed measure; 
the possibility for the 12 Member States to move forward together. 
The Commission will decide on a case-by-case basis, in the light of the above 
criteria, whether or not to make use of the Protocol. However, if there is a legal 
basis in the Treaty with a decision-making procedure which is likely to bring 
about a decision, as in the field of safety and health at work, the Commission will 
give priority to instruments which enable a decision to be taken by all the 
Member States. 
The Commission's Communication points out that the social partners now have 
a right74 to be consulted by the Commission both on the direction of Community 
74 Article 3(1) of the Agreement. 
36 
social policy and on the content of Community action in this area. In facilitating 
the social dialogue, the Commission must ensure "balanced support for the 
parties". Among the different measures which may facilitate the dialogue, mention 
can be made of working groups and the provision of technical assistance deemed 
necessary to underpin the dialogue. 
As regards the consultation procedure, what the Communication has to say is: 
- • As in the past, the Commission will engage in wide-ranging consultations 
so as to ensure that its policy is as appropriate as possible to the economic 
and social realities. Such consultation will cover all European (or national, 
as the case may be) organisations which may be interested in Community 
social policy. 
In accordance with Article 3 of the Agreement, the Commission engages 
in formal consultations with the social partners' European organisations in 
so far as these organisations meet the following criteria: 
they must be cross-industry or relate to specific sectors or 
categories and be organised at European level; 
- they must consist of organisations which are themselves an integral 
and recognised part of Member State social partner structures, have 
the capacity to negotiate agreements and are representative of all 
Member States as far as possible; 
they must have adequate structures to ensure their effective 
participation in the consultation process. 
On the basis of these criteria as set out in the Communication, the 
Commission has drawn up a list of organisations which will be formally 
consulted under Article 3 of the Agreement. This list will be reviewed in 
the light of experience and development of the social dialogue. 
The Commission feels that these specific consultation procedures under the 
terms of Article 3 of the Agreement should apply to all social policy 
proposals, whatever legal basis is eventually decided on. The Commission 
also reserves the right to engage in specific consultations on any other 
horizontal or sectoral-type proposal which has social implications. 
The formal consultation of the social partners provided for in Article 3 of 
the Agreement may lead to the adoption of opinions or recommendations. 
As regards negotiations, the Communication points out that the social partners, 
having been consulted by the Commission on the content of a proposal for 
Community action, may inform the Commission of their desire to engage in a 
negotiation process with a view to reaching an agreement. The negotiations may 
37 
extend over nine months and be extended with the Commission's agreement. At 
the end of this period, the social partners have to submit to the Commission a 
report taking stock of the negotiations and informing the Commission: 
(a) either that they have concluded an agreement and jointly request the 
Commission to propose that the Council adopt a decision on 
implementation; 
(b) or, having concluded an agreement between themselves, they prefer to 
implement it in accordance with the procedures and practices specific to 
management and labour and to the Member States; 
(c) or that they envisage pursuing the negotiations beyond the nine months 
and accordingly request the Commission to decide with them upon a new 
deadline; 
(d) or that they are unable to reach an agreement. 
Where point (d) applies, the Commission will look into the possibility of 
proposing, in the light of the work already done, a legislative instrument in the 
field in question and will forward the result of its deliberations to the Council. 
The Economic and Social Committee and the European Parliament will also be 
consulted in accordance with the procedures laid down in the Treaty. 
9 The Communication also states that agreements concluded at Community level are 
to be implemented either in accordance with the procedures and practices specific 
to management and labour and the Member States or, in matters covered by 
Article 2 and at the joint request of the signatory parties, by a Council decision 
on a proposal from the Commission. The Council is to act by qualified majority, 
except where the agreement in question contains one or more provisions relating 
to one of the areas referred to in Article 2(3), in which case it is to act 
unanimously. The Communication goes on to say that "under the Agreement, the 
Commission is not legally required to consult the European Parliament on requests 
made to it by the social partners concerning implementation of an agreement by 
means of a Council decision. However, the Commission does intend to inform 
Parliament and to send it the text of the agreement, together with its proposal for 
a decision and the explanatory memorandum, so that Parliament may, should it 
consider it advisable, deliver its opinion to the Commission and to the Council", 
and that "if the Council decides, in accordance with the procedures set out in the 
last subparagraph of Article 4(2), not to implement the agreement as concluded 
by the social partners, the Commission will withdraw its proposal for a decision 
and will examine whether a legislative instrument in the area in question would 
be appropriate". 
10 In addition, the Communication points out that Article 2 (4) of the Agreement 
establishes the general principle that directives may be implemented by collective 
agreement. This principle has been recognised and admitted, subject to certain 
38 
conditions, in the case law of the Court of Justice. It is also in line with the 
implementation requirements of the International Labour Organisation and the 
Council of Europe. 
11 The Communication's conclusions may be summed up as follows: 
The new situation created by the co-existence of two legal frameworks for 
action in the social field will be complex and difficult to manage. 
The new role for the social partners is an important step forward but will 
need time to grow and develop. 
The Commission will do all it can to operate these new procedures in an 
efficient but flexible manner. The important point at this early stage of 
implementing the new mechanisms is to allow space for natural evolution. 
The creation of heavy structures is not likely to yield the best results at 
this early stage. 
The Commission feels that this Communication lays down the ground 
rules for the implementation of the new procedures so that business can 
be conducted efficiently and openly. The Commission sees this as a 
dynamic process which will develop with time and will require 
reexamination at some later stage. 
12 The Commission's Communication was the subject of detailed scrutiny in the 
European Parliament, the Council and the Economic and Social Committee. 
13 At- its special plenary session on 23 and 24 February 1994, the European 
Parliament adopted a first report on the new social dimension of the Treaty on 
European Union (rapporteur: Mrs Reding) featuring a resolution and, more 
particularly, a draft joint declaration of the European Parliament, the Council and 
the Commission to act as a basis for negotiation of an inter-institutional agreement 
on the application of the Protocol on social policy. In more specific terms, the 
draft declaration calls for the conditions for determining the representativeness of 
management and labour to be agreed jointly at Community level and for the 
Commission to inform the institutions which take part in the legislative process 
without delay of the progress of negotiations between the social partners. As 
regards implementation of an agreement between the social partners, Parliament 
stressed that a Council decision should implement the agreement as concluded. 
Should the Council intend to modify the agreement, the agreement is deemed to 
have been repudiated and Parliament may call for the normal legislative process 
to be initiated. Additionally, the proposal is that the Council may not refuse to 
implement an agreement until it has consulted and received the opinion of the 
European Parliament. 
14 A second report (rapporteur once again Mrs Reding), conceived especially as a 
reply to the Commission's Communication, was adopted on 2 May 1994. 
39 
Parliament was principally concerned about the criteria for selecting which 
organisations should be consulted under Article 3 of the Agreement, the 
consultation procedure itself and the kind of legal and institutional framework to 
be set up in application of Articles 3 and 4 of the Agreement. Parliament referred 
back to its draft joint declaration in connection with the first report. 
15 Parliament's view is that the list of social partners to be consulted as drawn up by 
the Commission should be "revised so as to permit better representation of all 
employees' and employers' organisations". To this end, Parliament proposes 
alternative criteria to be fulfilled by the organisations consulted under Article 3 
of the Agreement on social policy, stressing the right of organisations to be 
involved in collective bargaining at their specific level, although they must "have 
a mandate from their members to represent them in the context of the Community 
social dialogue and can demonstrate their representativeness". 
16 Regarding the consultation and negotiation procedures, Parliament calls for an 
extra six weeks to enable the Commission to draft its proposal on any new 
initiatives (making three periods of six weeks each). In the course of negotiations. 
Parliament wants any possible extension to the nine-month negotiation period to 
be subject to additional constraints based on the principle that the Commission 
will "prevent the consultation period from being artificially prolonged .... and after 
consulting the European Parliament". Moreover, Parliament expects that "as soon 
as it proves impossible to reach agreement during the procedure, the Commission 
will examine the proposal and forward it to the Council and Parliament". 
17 Finally, Parliament is in favour of introducing legislation to implement the Social 
Protocol, calling on the Commission to present, in accordance with the criteria set 
out in its report, a "legislative proposal on the implementation of Articles 3 and 
4 of the Agreement on social policy, establishing the legal and institutional 
framework for the decision-making process of the social partners at Community 
level". Given that the right of association is outside the scope of legislative action 
under the Agreement on social policy, Parliament stresses that the next 
Intergovernmental Conference should make it possible to take such action on the 
right of association at Community level. 
18 Two Member States (Belgium and Germany) have specifically set out their 
position on application of the Protocol on social policy. The note of 4 March 1994 
from the Belgian Ministry for Employment, Labour and Equal Opportunities 
Policy underlines the wish that the Council be fully informed in connection with 
any consultation procedure engaged in by the social partners. At its meeting on 
19 April 1994, the Council had a first exchange of views on the Belgian 
delegation's note. Subsequently, the German government presented a memo of its 
own on 30 May 1994; this has not yet been discussed in the Council. 
19 At its plenary session on 24 November 1994, the Economic and Social Committee 
adopted an opinion on the Commission's Communication on application of the 
Protocol on social policy (Rapporteur: Mr Van Dijk). The Committee starts by 
40 
underlining its commitment to the principle of "vertical subsidiarity" as recognised 
by the Court of Justice of the European Communities and as detailed in 
Articles 2(4), 3 and 4 of the Agreement on social policy. As regards which legal 
basis the Commission should choose on social policy, it comes out in favour of 
the Agreement, and also for the Agreement to be incorporated into the Treaty at 
the next Intergovernmental Conference. 
20 Regarding the concept of representativeness and which social partneps' 
organisations should be formally consulted under Article 3 of the Agreement, the 
Committee's stated view is that the Commission's criteria "should also include 
capacity to negotiate", bearing in mind that such criteria might help the social 
partners at Community level to achieve the objective of agreement-based relations 
at European level. 
21 The Committee is in favour of a broad interpretation of the scope of the new 
consultation procedures. It welcomes the fact that the Commission intends to 
apply the formal consultation procedure in respect of any social policy initiative, 
regardless of the legal basis, and calls on the Commission to engage in such 
consultations in respect of any other horizontal or sectoral-type proposal with 
social implications. 
22 As regards the consultation and negotiation procedures themselves, the Committee 
insists on being kept fully informed throughout the process and proposes that the 
first phase of consultation of the social partners be of eight weeks and that the 
Commission should present its proposal for the second phase of consultations 
(likewise of eight weeks) within four months. The Committee stresses that the 
social partners are free to engage in negotiations at any time, i.e. during the first 
phase of consultations, during the second phase of negotiations or on a totally 
autonomous basis. 
23 The Committee raises a number of questions on how an agreement between social 
partners should be implemented at Community levet. As regards implementation 
in accordance with national procedures and practices, the Committee wonders 
about the scope of the declaration by the negotiating parties, considering that "the 
denial of obligations to take legislative action in support of implementation does 
not exclude the obligation to avoid legislation having a negative impact on the 
implementation of EC-level agreements". The Committee also raises the question 
of the legal nature of the Council decision under Article 4(2) and recommends a 
degree of flexibility on what form of binding legal instrument should be used. 
24 The Committee is of the opinion that the Commission cannot refuse to propose 
implementing an agreement by way of a Council decision where such a decision 
is requested jointly by the signatories. At the same time, the Committee stresses 
that the Commission might propose that the negotiating parties envisage 
introducing amendments to their agreement with a view to implementation if the 
Council fails to reach a decision initially. At any rate the Committee considers 
that the agreement must be implemented as concluded and that the Committee and 
41 
the European Parliament must be involved in the event of the Council refusing to 
take a decision. 
25 * Mindful of the practical arrangements for implementing the new consultation and 
negotiation procedures, the Committee proposes setting up an independent 
secretariat to give the social partners their own resources for preparing, organising 
and following-up social dialogue meetings. 
2.2 APPLICATION OF THE AGREEMENT: 
INFORMATION AND CONSULTATION OF EMPLOYEES 
The Commission's proposal for a Council Directive on the establishment of a 
European Works Council in Community-scale undertakings and groups of 
undertakings for the purposes of informing and consulting employees75 takes 
account of the principle of subsidiarity. Thus, the proposal does not affect 
Member States' internal information and consultation procedures concerning 
national undertakings, which remain subject to the law and practices of the 
Member States, and the social partners' autonomy has also been respected. The 
Commission proposal was largely based on the joint opinion adopted under the 
social dialogue in March 1987 by the ETUC, UNICE and CEEP. So long as the 
conditions for establishing a European works council have been met, it is up to 
the social partners in the first instance to decide by negotiation on the nature, 
composition, functions and powers of such committees and their operational 
procedures. It is only where there is no agreement that the subsidiary requirements 
will apply. 
Once it became obvious that it would be impossible to reach a decision on the 
part of all the Member States, the Commission decided to base its proposal for a 
Directive on the Agreement on social policy; this meant that the consultation and 
negotiation procedures provided for in the Agreement were tried out for the first 
time in practice. 
Once it became obvious that the social partners were not going to be able to 
negotiate an agreement in lieu of a directive, in accordance with Article 4 of the 
Agreement, and since it felt that a Community initiative was still justified, the 
Commission activated the legislative procedure. On 13 April 1994, the 
Commission decided to adopt a fresh proposal76 with a view to presenting it to the 
Council on the basis of Article 2(2) of the Agreement on social policy. 
The Economic and Social Committee delivered its opinion on 1 June 199477. 
75 
76 
77 COM(90) 581 final. 25 January 1991. 
COM(94) 134 final. OJ C 135. 15.9.1994. 
Not yet published in the Official Journal. 
42 
78 
79 
80 
81 The European Parliament delivered its opinion at first reading on 4 May 199478. 
On 3 June 1994, the Commission adopted an amended proposal in accordance 
with Article 189a(2) of the EC Treaty, incorporating a number of amendments 
proposed by the European Parliament79. 
On 18 July 1994, the Council adopted a common position on the Commission's 
amended proposal80. 
The European Parliament examined the Council's common position at second 
reading on 15 September 1994 and approved it subject to 12 proposed 
amendments. 
The Commission thereupon examined the amendments proposed by Parliament at 
second reading, incorporating a number of them into its reexamined proposal. 
The Social Affairs Council adopted the directive unanimously (Portugal 
abstaining) during its meeting of 22 September 199481. The key features of 
Directive 94/45/EC of 22 September 1994 on the establishment of a European 
Works Council or a procedure in Community-scale undertakings and Community-
scale groups of undertakings for the purposes of informing and consulting 
employees are as follows: 
General: The Directive has been adopted by the Council on the basis of Article 
2(2) of the Agreement on social policy. Consequently, it is only addressed to the 
Member States concerned by the Agreement on social policy and is hence not 
applicable to the United Kingdom. 
The objective: The objective of the Directive is to improve the information and 
consultation of employees in Community-scale undertakings and groups of 
undertakings on transnational issues, i.e. those concerning at least two 
establishments situated in two different Member States. The risk here is that this 
aim may become dissipated in a range of procedures which makes it impossible 
to keep track of what is going on, and to this end it is proposed to set up a 
European Works Council where requested by employees of their representatives 
according to a transparent procedure, and insofar as the interested parties do not 
decide, by common accord, to set up some other information and consultation 
procedure. 
Scope: It is provided that the establishment of a European Works Council or an 
employee information and consultation procedure be restricted to Community-
Not yet published in the Official Journal. 
OJC 199. 21.7.1994. 
OJC224. 31.8.1994. 
OJL 254. 30.9.1994. 
43 
scale undertakings and groups of undertakings with at least 1000 employees and 
at least two establishments in different Member States each employing at least 
150 people. Of course, the mechanisms for informing and consulting employees 
which the Directive seeks to create at the level of Community-scale undertakings 
or groups of undertakings are in no way intended to prevent the coexistence and 
the development of decentralised information and consultation practices which are 
in line with current business practice or the specific needs of individual 
businesses. The Directive also covers cases where Community-scale undertakings 
or groups of undertakings have their headquarters in countries outside the territory 
of the Member States directly concerned by the Directive. Where this is the case, 
such businesses are treated in a similar way based on either the representative 
agent of the undertaking or group of undertakings or the undertaking with the 
highest number of employees in the territory of the Member States concerned. 
Community-scale undertakings and groups of undertakings with their central 
management in the United Kingdom will, of course, be subject to the same 
obligations as are imposed on undertakings and groups of undertakings from third 
countries. 
8 Triggering requirement: The threshold requirements for triggering the procedure 
will now require the written request of at least 100 employees or their 
representatives in at least two Member States concerned. 
9 The agreement. The main body of the Directive is intended to provide a legal 
framework within which an agreement can be concluded between central 
management and the employees' representatives. The parties are free to set up the 
information and consultation mechanism most suited to their needs, e.g. an 
information and consultation procedure instead of a European Works Council. 
10 Period of negotiation: The Directive establishes that if an agreement is not 
reached within a period of three years, the rules laid down in the Annex will 
apply. However, where central management refuses to commence negotiations, 
the Annex will apply after a period of six months. It will also apply immediately 
if the two parties so decide. 
11 Confidentiality: The Directive obliges Member States to allow management, 
subject to certain conditions and guarantees, to withhold information, the 
disclosure of which could be seriously prejudicial to the undertakings concerned. 
12 Existing agreements: Existing agreements on transnational information and 
consultation will be exempt from the obligations arising from this proposed 
directive. When these expire, the parties to these agreements may decide jointly 
to renew them. Where this is not the case, the provisions of the proposed 
directive will apply. 
13 The Annex's subsidiary requirements: The Directive provides that, in addition to 
the annual information and consultation meeting provided for in paragraph 2 of 
the Annex, consultation meetings might also be held with a restricted delegation 
44 
from the European Works Council (3 members). Representatives from the 
undertaking and/or establishments concerned by the measures in question also 
have the right to participate in these consultation meetings. This solution will 
make it possible to preserve the essential objectives of the Directive and to avoid 
the excessive cost and cumbersomeness of consulting the entire European Works 
Council (which can have up to 30 members) every time a decision is envisaged. 
The matters subject to consultation are any measure which is liable to have a 
considerable effect on employees' interests, particularly in the event of relocations, 
closures of undertakings or establishments or collective redundancies. 
45 
3. THE FUTURE OF EUROPEAN SOCIAL POLICY 
3.1 THE GREEN PAPER AND THE CONSULTATION PROCESS 
1 In November 1993 the Commission published its Green Paper on European social 
policy, which was preceded by a public appeal in the Official Journal for 
contributions and comments; 500 contributions were received from Member States' 
governments, various other bodies and individuals, testifying to the firm interest 
in various aspects of social policy. 
2 The objective of the Green Paper was to stimulate a wide-ranging debate within 
all Member States on the future lines of social policy in the European Union, 
bringing in all interested parties including, of course, the social partners, as well 
as specific interest groups. The whole process took place at a moment when the 
attention of the Community was focused on the issue of how to reconcile 
economic and social objectives in the face of rising unemployment and growing 
concern about Europe's ability to remain competitive into the 21st century 
3 The Green Paper stresses that there is much debate in all Member States about 
how to address the problem of unemployment, much of which is now recognised 
as being structural in character. The issues under discussion include the need for 
greater labour market adaptability, the suggestion that wage differentials should 
be widened and that wages should vary more as a function of economic 
conditions, and questions about whether social benefits should be reduced or 
targeted so as to provide greater incentives to seek work. This is linked to the 
problems which all Member States are having in funding the growing demand on 
social protection systems and the search for greater efficiency in the operation of 
these systems as one means of making savings. At the same time, there exists a 
growing degree of public concern that, contrary to the objective of ensuring that 
economic and social progress should go hand in hand as clearly stated in the 
Treaties of Rome and Maastricht, the net impact of the integration process could 
be a levelling down of social standards. This is reflected in the fear that the 
creation of a single market could open the way to a form of social dumping, i.e. 
the gaining of unfair competitive advantage within the Community through 
unacceptably low social standards. But there is also a concern that, somehow, the 
imperative of action at European level can become a pretext for changes in social 
standards at national level. 
4 The premise at the heart of the Green Paper is that the next phase in the 
development of European social policy cannot be based on the idea that social 
progress must go into retreat in order for economic competitiveness to recover 
On the contrary, as has been stated on many occasions by the European Council, 
the Community is fully committed to ensuring that economic and social progress 
go hand in hand. Indeed, much of Europe's influence and power has come 
46 
precisely from its capacity to combine wealth creation with enhanced benefits and 
freedoms for its people. 
The Green Paper is in five parts. Part I sets out what the Community has already 
achieved in the social sphere. Part II looks at the social challenges now facing us 
all. It examines the risks of declining social cohesion in Europe and the threats 
to important common goals such as social protection, solidarity and high levels 
of employment. A new medium-term strategy is needed which will draw together 
economic and social policies in partnership rather than in conflict with each other. 
Only in this way will sustainable growth, social solidarity and public confidence 
be restored. It is acknowledged that European production systems need to be 
based on the new technologies. There can be no social progress without wealth 
creation. But it should also be recognised that the consequent structural changes 
will have considerable impact on other important areas, such as employment 
intensity, working and living conditions, the quality of life and the development 
of industrial relations. Part III discusses the possible responses of the Union to 
these challenges, both in terms of what Member States want and of what the 
Community is trying to achieve. Part IV provides a brief conclusion, while Part 
V brings together the questions raised in different parts of the Green Paper. These 
will be the focus of the debate to follow. 
3.2 WHITE PAPER ON EUROPEAN SOCIAL POLICY: 
A WAY FORWARD FOR THE UNION 
1 The foundations for the White Paper were laid by last year's the last consultative 
Green Paper on European social policy "Options for the Union"82. 
2 In July 1994, the Commission adopted a White Paper on "European Social Policy: 
A way forward for the Union"83. At the invitation of the Commission, the 
European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions 
prepared a synthesis of the different submissions which was published - together 
with the responses received from the Member States and the Union Institutions 
- as an accompanying volume to the White Paper. Building on the aims and 
objectives of the Community Charter of the Fundamental Social Rights of 
Workers and the achievements of the Commission's 1989 Social Action 
Programme, the White Paper seeks to chart a way forward for the future 
development of European social policy into the next century. 
3 The White Paper therefore sets out a strategy for consolidating and developing the 
Union's action on social policy for the future. It proposes a number of specific 
measures where concrete progress can be achieved in the short term. It also 
proposes other areas for consideration and development over a longer time frame. 
82 
83 COM(93) 551 of 17 November 1993. 
COM(94)333 of27Julv 1994. 
47 
These actions will be consolidated in the incoming Commission's work 
programme, which will be presented during 1995 following consultations with the 
Member States, the Union Institutions and other interested bodies on the proposals 
set out in the White Paper. The key elements of the White Paper are as follows: 
Employment: The fight against unemployment and the pursuit of more good, 
stable jobs is the top priority of the White Paper. Building on the Commission's 
White Paper on growth, competitiveness and employment and the 1993 Brussels 
European Council's conclusions, the White Paper proposes the preparation of a 
more detailed action plan at the level of the Union and the Member States, to be 
directed in the short term at reversing the trend of unemployment and. by the end 
of the century, significantly reducing the numbers of unemployed. An action plan 
was adopted by the European Council at its meeting in Essen in December 1994. 
The White Paper also proposes a series of related actions designed to improve the 
Commission's contribution to the achievement of the Community's employment 
objectives, such as the development of the annual Employment in Europe report, 
the strengthening of the employment observatory system, and a Communication 
on policy centred action-research programmes in the employment field. 
Training: The White Paper emphasises the crucial importance of investment in 
education and training, and proposes a series of actions designed to develop 
progressively a vocational training policy at the level of the Union. It also details 
the specific contribution of the European Social Fund to human resource 
development, the fight against unemployment and the working of the labour 
market. 
Labour law: The White Paper places priority on the adoption of the outstanding 
proposals from the Social Action Programme (posting of workers and non­
standard work), but also proposes further work to complete the working time 
directive and to assess further the need for action in a number of other areas. 
Health and Safety: The White Paper places priority on the adoption of the 
outstanding proposals in this area - transport activities, physical agents, chemical 
agents, travel conditions for workers with motor disabilities, work equipment 
(amendment) - together with the adoption of a fourth health and safety action 
programme in 1995. 
Equality of opportunity for women and men: The White Paper seeks to make 
progress on the outstanding proposals in this area (parental leave and burden of 
proof), and proposes a range of other action, including the adoption of a fourth 
equal opportunities action programme in 1995 and the preparation of an annual 
Equality Report, starting in 1996. 
Free movement of workers: The White Paper proposes to continue work to 
remove the remaining barriers to free movement, including the establishment of 
a high-level panel to review all aspects of the operation of the single market with 
regard to the free movement of people (employed, self-employed, students, 
48 
pensioners and others), to assess the problems faced and to propose possible 
solutions to the Commission during 1995. It also proposes to continue work to 
improve the coordination of social security for migrant workers moving within the 
Community, and to further develop the EURES (European Employment Service) 
network. The White Paper also proposes further Community-level action to 
assist the integration of immigrants and to combat racism and xenophobia. 
10 Social protection and social action: The White Paper proposes to continue to 
analyse and monitor social protection policies in Member States, notably through 
the Social Protection in Europe report, and to consider recommendations in this 
area. Starting in 1994, the Commission will also prepare an annual report on 
demography. In addition, priority will be given to taking forward Community-
level action in the fight against social exclusion, notably on the basis of the 
proposals already before the Council. The White Paper also makes proposals to 
promote the social integration of disabled people and older people, as well as 
work to demonstrate the added value of Community action to combat 
discrimination on the grounds of race, religion, age and disability, with a view to 
introducing a specific reference to combating such discrimination at the next 
revision of the Treaty. 
11 Public Health: Building on the Commission's Communication on the framework 
for action in the field of public health84, the White Paper proposes to take forward 
the programmes already before the Council (cancer, health promotion, prevention 
of drug dependence, AIDS), and bring forward further proposals as appropriate. 
12 Social dialogue and the role of voluntary organisations: The White Paper makes 
proposals to promote and strengthen the social dialogue, particularly with an view 
to taking full advantage of the provisions of the Agreement on social policy 
annexed to the Treaty on European Union. It also seeks to strengthen the dialogue 
with voluntary organisations, notably by holding a social policy forum for debate 
and discussion of social policy issues, every 18 months. 
13 International cooperation: The White Paper proposes to further develop 
cooperation with international organisations and bilateral contacts with other 
countries, and places a particular emphasis on the development of relations with 
the countries of Central and Eastern Europe. 
14 Implementation and enforcement: The White Paper places a particular emphasis 
on the need to improve the implementation and enforcement of legislation in the 
social field, and makes a range of proposals aimed at improving the flow of 
information on Community legislation and social rights. In more general terms, 
the Commission feels that, in the immediate future, the consolidation and 
implementation of the existing corpus of legislation will, if we are to avoid a 
84 COM(93) 559 of 24 November 1993. 
49 
distortion of competition as a result of failure to transpose, be at least as 
important as the presentation of new proposals. 
The situation may change once the labour law adaptation process which is 
currently taking place in all the Member States has stabilised. Once the new 
workers' rights models have been clarified at national level, attention will refocus 
on how best to support such models at European level. That being so, the 
Commission feels that, almost five years after adoption of the Social Charter, the 
time has now come to look to the future. It therefore intends to organise, in 1995, 
and in cooperation with the European Parliament, a joint meeting to evaluate what 
has been achieved, what problems remain and what the prospects are five years 
hence. This meeting will take as its basis the present 1994 assessment report on 
what has been done to achieve the objectives set out in Article 1 of the 
Agreement on social policy. 
50 
ANNEX I 
List of directives and regulations cited in the report: 
INTRODUCTION 
1.01 Employment and remuneration 
91/383/EEC: Council Directive of 25 June 1991 supplementing the measures to 
encourage improvements in the safety and health at work of workers with a fixed-
duration employment relationship or a temporary employment relationship. 
(OJL 206, 29.7.1991, p. 19) 
1.02 Improvement of living and working conditions 
91/533/EEC: Council Directive of 14 October 1991 on an employer's obligation 
to inform employees of the conditions applicable to the contract or employment 
relationship 
(OJL 288, 18.10.1991, p. 32) 
92/56/EEC: Council Directive of 24 June 1992 amending Directive 75/129/EEC 
on the approximation of the laws of the Member States pertaining to collective 
redundancies 
(OJL 245, 26.8.1992, p. 3) 
75/129/EEC: Council Directive of 17 February 1975 on the approximation of the 
laws of the Member States pertaining to collective redundancies 
(OJL 48, 22.2.1975, p. 29) 
93/104/EEC: Council Directive of 23 November 1993 concerning certain aspects 
of the organisation of working time 
(OJL 307, 13.12.1993, p. 18) 
1.03 Freedom of movement 
Council Regulation (EEC) No 2434/92 of 27 July 1992 amending the second part 
of Regulation (EEC) No 1612/68 on the free movement of workers within the 
Community 
(OJL 245, 26.8.1992, p. 1) 
Council Regulation (EEC) No 1945/93 amending Regulation (EEC) No 1408/71 
on the application of social security schemes to employed persons, to self-
51 
employed persons and to members of their families moving within the 
Community and Council Regulation (EEC) No 574/72 laying down the procedure 
for implementing Regulation (EEC) No 1408/71, and Regulation (EEC) No 
* 1247/92 amending Regulation (EEC) No 1408/71 
(OJL 181, 23.7.1993, p. 1) 
1.06 Equal treatment for men and women 
92/85/EEC: Council Directive of 19 October 1992 on the introduction of measures 
to encourage improvements in the safety and health at work of pregnant workers, 
workers who have recently given birth or are breast-feeding (10th individual 
directive within the meaning of Article 16(1) of Directive 89/391/EEC) 
(OJL 348, 28.11.1992, p. 1) 
86/613/EEC: Council Directive of 11 December 1986 on the application of the 
principle of equal treatment between men and women engaged in an activity, 
including agriculture, in a self-employed capacity, and on the protection of self-
employed women during pregnancy and motherhood 
(OJL 359, 19.12.1986, p. 56) 
Corrigendum to Council Directive 86/613/EEC of 11 December 1986 on the 
application of the principle of equal treatment between men and women engaged 
in an activity, including agriculture, in a self-employed capacity, and on the 
protection of self-employed women during pregnancy and motherhood 
(OJL 32, 3.2.1987, p. 36) 
1.08 Health and safety protection for workers 
89/391/EEC: Council Directive of 12 June 1989 on the introduction of measures 
to encourage improvements in the safety and health of workers at work 
(OJL 183, 29.6.1989, p. 1) 
90/679/EEC: Council Directive of 26 November 1990 on the protection of 
workers from risks related to exposure to biological agents at work (7th individual 
directive within the meaning of Article 16(1) of Directive 89/391/EEC) 
(OJL 374, 31.12.1990, p. 1) 
91/382/EEC: Council Directive of 25 June 1991 amending Directive 83/477/EEC 
on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to asbestos at 
work (2nd individual directive within the meaning of Article 8 of Directive 
80/1107/EEC) 
(OJL 206, 29.7.1991, p. 16) 
92/29/EEC: Council Directive of 31 March 1992 on the minimum health and 
safety requirements to encourage improved medical assistance on board vessels 
(OJL 113, 30.4.1992, p. 13) 
52 
92/57/EEC: Council Directive of 24 June 1992 on the minimum health and safety-
requirements for work at temporary or mobile worksites (8th individual directive 
within the meaning of Article 16(1) of Directive 89/391/EEC) 
* (OJL 245, 26.8.1992, p. 6) 
92/58/EEC: Council Directive of 24 June 1992 on the minimum requirements for 
the provision of safety and/or health signs at work (9th individual directive within 
the meaning of Article 16(1) of Directive 89/391/EEC) 
(OJL 245, 26.8.1992, p. 23) 
92/91/EEC: Council Directive of 3 November 1992 concerning the minimum 
requirements for improving the safety and health protection of workers in the 
mineral-extracting industries through drilling (11th individual directive within the 
meaning of Article 16(1) of Directive 89/391/EEC) 
(OJL 348, 28.11.1992, p. 9) 
92/104/EEC: Council Directive of 3 December 1992 on the minimum 
requirements for improving the safety and health protection of workers in surface 
and underground mineral-extracting industries (12th individual directive within the 
meaning of Article 16(1) of Directive 89/391/EEC) 
(OJL 404, 31.12.1992, p. 10) 
93/88/EEC: Council Directive of 12 October 1993 amending Directive 
90/679/EEC on the protection of workers from risks related to exposure to 
biological agents at work (7th individual directive within the meaning of 
Article 16(1) of Directive 89/391/EEC) 
(OJL 268, 29.10.1993, p. 71) 
93/103/EEC: Council Directive of 23 November 1993 concerning the minimum 
safety and health requirements for work on board fishing vessels (13th individual 
directive within the meaning of Article 16(1) of Directive 89/391/EEC) 
(OJL 307, 13.12.1993, p. 1) 
Council Regulation (EEC) No 2962/94 of 18 July 1994 establishing a European 
Agency for Safety and Health at Work 
(OJL 216, 20.8.1994, p. 1) 
1.09 Protection of children and young people 
94/33/EEC: Council Directive of 22 June 1994 on the protection of young people 
at work 
(OJL 216, 20.8.1994, p. 12) 
53 
2. AGREEMENT ON SOCIAL POLICY 
2.2 Application of the Agreement: Information and consultation of 
employees 
94/45/EEC: Council Directive of 22 September 1994 on the establishment of a 
European Works Council or a procedure in Community-scale undertakings and 
Community-scale groups of undertakings for the purposes of informing and 
consulting employees 
(OJL 254, 30.9.1994, p. 64) 
54 
ANNEX D 
List of directives and regulations proposed but not yet adopted : 
INTRODUCTION 
1. Community Charter 
1.01 Employment and remuneration 
Proposal for a Council Directive on certain employment relationships with regard 
to distorsions of competition (Commission proposal OJ No C224,8.9.90; amended 
proposal, OJ No C305, 5.12.90). 
Proposal for a Council Directive on certain employment relationships with regard 
to working conditions (Commission proposal COM(90)228/I final) (OJ No C224, 
8.9.90). 
1.02 Improvement of living and working conditions 
Proposal for a Council Directive on the approximation of the laws of the Member 
States relating to the safeguarding of employees' rights in the event of transfers 
of undertakings, businesses or parts of businesses (Commission proposal, OJ No 
C274, 1.10.94) 
1.03 Freedom of movement 
Proposal for a Council Regulation (EEC) amending Regulation (EEC) No 1612/68 
on freedom of movement for workers within the Community (Commission 
proposal, OJ No C100, 21.4.89; amended proposals, OJ No CI 19, 15.5.90 and No 
C177, 18.7.90) 
Proposal for a Council Regulation (EEC) amending Directive 68/360/EEC on the 
abolition of restrictions on movement and residence within the Community for 
workers of Member States and their families (Commission proposal, OJ No CI 00. 
21.4.89; amended proposal, OJ No CI 19, 15.5.90) 
Proposal for a Council Directive concerning the posting of workers in the 
framework of the provision of services (Commission proposal. OJ No C225, 
30.8.91). 
55 
Proposal for a Council Regulation (EEC) amending Regulation (EEC) No 1408/71 
on the application of social security schemes to employed persons, to self-
employed persons and to members of their families moving within the 
Community and Council Regulation (EEC) No 574/72 laying down the procedure 
for implementing Regulation (EEC) No 1408/71 (Commission proposal, OJ C 46, 
20.2.92) 
Proposal for a Council Regulation (EEC) amending Regulation (EEC) No 1408/71 
on the application of social security schemes to employed persons, to self-
employed persons and to members of their families moving within the 
Community and Council Regulation (EEC) No 574/72 laying down the procedure 
for implementing Regulation (EEC) No 1408/71, Regulation (EEC) No 1247/92 
amending Regulation (EEC) No 1408/71 and Regulation (EEC) No 1945 
amending Regulation (EEC) No 1247/92 (Commission proposal, OJ C 143. 
26.5.94) 
1.05 Worker participation 
Proposal for a Council Regulation on the statute for a European company 
(Commission proposal, OJ No C263, 16.10.89) 
Proposal for a Council Directive on procedures for informing and consulting the 
employees of undertakings (Commission proposal, OJ No C297, 15.11.80; 
amended proposal, OJ No C217, 12.8.83) 
Amended proposal for a Fifth Directive [...] concerning the structure of public 
limited companies and the powers and obligations of their organs (Commission 
proposal, OJ C 240, 9.9.83) 
Proposal for a Council Directive complementing the statute for a European 
association with regard to the involvement of employees (Commission proposal, 
OJNoC99, 21.4.92) 
Proposal for a Council Directive supplementing the statute for a European 
cooperative society with regard to the involvement of employees (Commission 
proposal, OJ No C99, 21.4.92) 
1.08 Health and safety protection for workers 
Proposal for a Council Directive concerning the minimum safety and health 
requirements for transport activities and workplaces on means of transport (12th 
Individual Directive within the meaning of Article 16 of Directive 89/391/EEC); 
(Commission proposal, OJ No C25, 28.1.93; amended proposal, OJ No C294, 
30.10.93) 
56 
Proposai for a Council Directive on the protection of the health and safety of 
workers from the risks related to chemical agents at work (Commission proposal, 
OJ No C165, 16.6.93; amended proposal, OJ No C230, 19.8.94) 
Proposal for a Council Directive on the minimum health and safety requirements 
regarding the exposure of workers to the risks arising from physical agents 
(Commission proposal, OJ No C77, 18.3.93; amended proposal, COM(94)284, 
4.7.94) 
Proposal for a Council Directive amending Directive 89/655/EEC on the minimum 
health and safety requirements for the use of work equipment by workers at work 
(Commission proposal, OJ No C104, 12.4.94 
1.11 Disabled people 
Proposal for a Council Directive on the minimum requirements to improve the 
mobility and the safe transport to work of workers with reduced mobility 
(Commission proposal, OJ No C68, 16.3.91; amended proposal, OJ No CI5, 
21.1.92) 
57 

ISSN 1024-4492 
KOM(95) 184 lopullinen 
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ISBN 92-77-88925-X 
Euroopan yhteisöjen virallisten julkaisujen toimisto 
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