Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on the Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the protection of employees in the event of the insolvency of their employer (Codified version) (COM(2006) 657 final)
Date: 2007-03-14
Institutions: European Economic and Social Committee
Subjects: ESC opinion, approximation of laws, codification of EU law, employer, financial solvency, occupational safety, pay, social security

13.7.2007

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 161/75

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on the Proposal for a Directive of the
European Parliament and of the Council on the protection of employees in the event of the insol-
vency of their employer (Codified version)

(COM(2006) 657 final)

(2007/C 161/20)

On 23 November 2006, the Council decided to consult the European Economic and Social Committee,
under Article 262 of the Treaty establishing the European Community, on the above-mentioned proposal.

The Section for Employment, Social Affairs and Citizenship, which was responsible for preparing the
Committee's work on the subject, adopted its opinion on 22 February 2007. The rapporteur was Mr Soares.

At its 434th plenary session, held on 14 and 15 March 2007 (meeting of 14 March 2007), the European
Economic and Social Committee adopted the following opinion by 160 votes nem. con., with six absten-
tions.

1.
This proposed directive forms part of the Commission's
plan to simplify and clarify Community legislation so as to
make it clearer and more accessible to the ordinary citizen.

2.
Codification is an extremely important administrative
procedure, which must be undertaken in full compliance with
the normal Community legislative procedure and cannot result
in changes of substance being made to the instruments affected
by codification.

3.
The purpose of this proposal is to undertake a codification
of Council Directive 80/987/EEC of 20 October 1980 on the
protection of employees in the event of the insolvency of their
employer. The new directive will supersede the various acts
incorporated in it; this proposal fully preserves the content of
the acts being codified and hence does no more than bring

Brussels, 14 March 2007.

them together with only such formal amendments as are
required by the codification exercise itself.

Although codification is a process that, by its very nature,
4.
cannot and must not amend the directives to which it refers, the
EESC considers that the Commission should, in the performance
of its duties, do more than simplify legislation, It should study
the content of the various directives in order to resolve any
issues that might in the meantime have proven to be unclear or
that might have in practice been found to be somewhat
outdated.

Nevertheless, bearing in mind that

5.
the
opinion here is the codification of a directive, and taking
account of the aims set out in paragraph 1 and the guarantees
laid down in paragraphs 2 and 3, the European Economic and
Social Committee approves this proposed directive.

the subject of

The President

of the European Economic and Social Committee

Dimitris DIMITRIADIS

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on the Green Paper on diplomatic and
consular protection of Union citizens in third countries

COM(2006) 712 final

(2007/C 161/21)

On 28 November 2006, the Commission decided to consult the European Economic and Social Committee,
under Article 262 of the Treaty establishing the European Community, on the Green Paper on diplomatic and
consular protection of Union citizens in third countries.

The Section for Employment, Social Affairs and Citizenship, which was responsible for preparing the
Committee's work on the subject, adopted its opinion on 22 February 2007. The rapporteur was Mr Voleš.

At its 434th plenary session, held on 14 and 15 March 2007 (meeting of 14 March 2007), the European
Economic and Social Committee adopted the following opinion by 170 votes nem. con. with 1 abstention.