French social partners debate future of European Union

Download article in original language : FR0111122FFR.DOC

During 2001, French trade unions and employers' associations have participated in a country-wide debate over the future of the European Union. The process included the adoption of an opinion on the issue by the Economic and Social Council, on which the social partners are represented, in October.

European Union heads of state and government took a decision at the European Council meeting in Nice in December 2000 to usher in a period of reflection over the future of the Union (EU0012288F). Debate over this issue was due to begin in each Member State during 2001.

New national debate on future of EU

Both the President and Prime Minister of France have expressed the desire for a broad debate 'involving all stakeholders in France: elected representatives, social partners, economic decision-makers, academics and associations' (according to a joint Elysée Palace-Hôtel Matignon [presidential/prime ministerial] press release of 11 April 2001).

Fora have been organised in all the various regions of France under the authority of the prefects (Préfets). Responsibility for the overall consistency of the regional fora, the many hearings and various policy positions, and for their synthesis, has been assigned to a 'debate on the future of Europe' group, appointed on 11 April 2001 and chaired by Guy Braibant, the former representative of the President and the Prime Minister at the drafting convention for the Charter of fundamental rights of the European Union in 2000 (EU0010273N). A report was submitted to the President and the Prime Minister in November 2001, in preparation for the European Council meeting at Laeken in December 2001.

The 'debate on the future of Europe' group developed a questionnaire around four main topics:

• what is or should be the purpose of Europe?;

• what jurisdiction should the European Union have?;

• democracy and institutions; and

• ongoing public debate on Europe.

Trade unions and employers' organisations were invited to put forward their positions and to participate actively at both regional and national level. Nationally, the Economic and Social Council (Conseil économique et social, CES) – the third largest Constitution-based assembly in France, on which representative trade unions and employers' organisations sit (FR9910115N) - and the Committee for Social Dialogue on European and International Issues (Comité du dialogue social pour les questions européennes et internationales, CDSEI) (FR9812149N) have been the main venues for the unions and employers to put forward their positions.

Economic and Social Council opinion

The Economic and Social Council opinion, developed by Annette Wieviorka, was passed at the Council's session held on 9-10 October 2001. The CES places specific emphasis on the need to 'renew the legitimacy of the European Union project'. It examines the issues put forward by the 'debate on the future of Europe' group and states that the debate should focus on both the EU project itself and on the institutions set up to implement it. However, above all, the opinion focuses on the practicalities of the debate, in particular, the participation of civil society. The CES wants to see an extended debate, including the four issues it deems priorities:

• the development of democracy and European citizenship, to create a forum for public debate in the EU;

• the participation of organised civil society and European governance. The recent European Commission white paper on European governance has opened the way for discussion on potential institutional changes for those bodies representing civil society at EU or national level (including the French CES);

• the balance between economic and social issues at a European level, and more specifically the desire to see social dialogue at the heart of the European integration process; and

• the creation of a 'European economic government' to coordinate EU Member States' economic, fiscal and budgetary policies in the period after the introduction of the euro single currency.

The CES expressed the desire that the debate launched in 2001 be continued with civil society throughout the EU – drawing together European and national debates - until 2004, when an Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) will decide on the next amendments to be made to the EU treaties.

The CES considers that the IGC should be preceded by a convention based on the one held to draft the Charter of fundamental rights of the EU in 2000. It suggests that this convention should include governments, national parliaments, the European Commission and the European Parliament. It would like to see the EU Economic and Social Committee recognised as a permanent advisory member of the convention. The CES also calls for ongoing dialogue between itself and the French representatives at the convention and for the EU Economic and Social Committee to be able to communicate with all national economic and social committees or equivalent bodies.

On a practical level, the CES wants to play a leading role in the drawing up of French positions on both the nature of the EU and European policies prior to the 2004 treaty changes. The CES reminds the French authorities of the significant amount of work it has already completed on these issues.

The CES opinion was supported by a large proportion of its members. Of the 173 votes cast, 154 were in favour and 11 were opposed, while there were eight abstentions.

Varying trade union positions

The representatives of the General Confederation of Labour-Force ouvrière (Confédération générale du travail-Force ouvrière, CGT-FO) voted against the CES opinion. In a statement annexed to the opinion, the CGT-FO delegation on the Council reiterated its historical commitment to the process of European integration, but expressed its misgivings over both the notion of 'civil society' as defined in the opinion and over the practicalities of CES involvement in the proposed pre-IGC convention. In the view of CGT-FO, the CES should retain its role as advisor to French executive, legislative and judicial bodies and not try to replace any of them.

The French Confederation of Professional and Managerial Staff-General Confederation of Professional and Managerial Staff (Confédération française de l'encadrement-Confédération générale des cadres, CFE-CGC) representatives abstained from voting on the opinion, citing the 'hasty' debate on its development. CFE-CGC issued a document entitled 'CFE-CGC response to the debate on the future of Europe group questionnaire' (Réponse de la CFE-CGC au questionnaire du groupe 'Débat sur l'avenir de l'Europe'), in which the union confederation advocates the extension of the economic and social jurisdiction of the EU within the framework of the principle of subsidiarity. Particular reference is made to genuine Europe-wide trade union law, the development of regulations governing payroll saving and employee share-ownership and an EU framework governing basic employee rights in the workplace, such as information/consultation and vocational training. In terms of the various national social protection systems, CFE-CGC suggests that these systems be coordinated rather that harmonised. It is also ultimately calling for the creation of a 'European Labour Code'. It asserts its support for an EU constitution, but its proposals for European institutions fall within the current framework: CFE-CGC's main suggestion is the extension of the qualified majority system to additional areas as a means of addressing stalemates in the Council of Ministers. CFE-CGC supports developing 'increased cooperation' between willing Member States as a means of buttressing the construction of Europe.

The French Christian Workers' Confederation (Confédération française des travailleurs chrétiens, CFTC) voted in favour of the CES opinion and also issued a paper entitled 'A few benchmarks' (Quelques points de répère) for the public debate on the future of the EU (on 25 September 2001). In this document, CFTC responds to the questionnaire developed by the 'debate on the future of Europe' group. In the opinion of CFTC, the EU should be a 'human development-based project'. The Union's various policies and institutions, including the euro and the European Central Bank, should be no more than a means to this end. CFTC does not take a direct stance on the institutions or the political aspects of the EU. Nevertheless, it does express its reservations over the concept of increased cooperation and the potential use of the 'avant-garde' notion (developed by the former European Commission President, Jacques Delors) in social issues. On social issues, CFTC prefers coordination to harmonisation and advocates the development of social dialogue and European-level collective bargaining as an effective way to ensure step-by-step coordination.

The National Federation of Independent Unions (Union nationale des syndicats autonomes, UNSA) also supported the CES opinion. In addition, it published a specific newsletter, L'Europe UNSA-Infos, seeking to rally grassroots members to EU issues. At several of its congresses, UNSA has also supported moving towards a federal structure for EU institutions.

The General Confederation of Labour (Confédération générale du travail, CGT) also voted in favour of the CES opinion and clarified its positions in two papers. The first of these, entitled 'Preparing for Brussels, after Nice. Some factors in the debate over the future of the European Union' (Après Nice, en préparant Bruxelles. Débat sur l'avenir de l'Europe. Quelques éléments) appeared in July 2001. The second was published on 10 September as a detailed reply to the questionnaire developed by the 'debate on the future of Europe' group. In the latter, CGT asserts the particular need for public services to guarantee basic human rights in Europe. Specifically, it advocates a framework Directive on public services, as a way of clarifying Article 16 of the European Community Treaty on the concept of 'services of general economic interest'. On social issues, CGT proposes that the Charter of fundamental rights of the EU be reviewed and made binding by incorporating it into a future EU Treaty. CGT also demands the extension and strengthening of the legislative jurisdiction of European institutions in two ways: first, through the extension of qualified majority Council voting in current EU areas of jurisdiction, except welfare; and second, through the extension of the jurisdiction of European institutions to additional social issues, such as pay. In terms of institutions, CGT considers the current European institutional model to be ad hoc and as such, should be revised on a regular basis.

The French Democratic Confederation of Labour (Confédération française démocratique du travail, CFDT) published 'A contribution to the debate on the duture of the European Union' (Contribution au débat sur l'avenir de l'Union européenne), on 17 October 2001, the eve of a plenary meeting of the Committee for Social Dialogue on European and International Issues (CDSEI) on this topic. CFDT states that its position is based on European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) proposals. Overall, CFDT is demanding 'more Europe', especially in terms of social and taxation issues, and the prompt extension of qualified majority voting. CFDT seeks a strong democratic Europe. It reiterates its preference (held since 1998) for 'the most appropriate forms of integration for a future federal European Union'. To achieve this, CFDT is calling for the treaties to be overhauled and for the Laeken European Council to set out a structured procedure for a comprehensive shake-up in 2004. In the view of CFDT, the European social model - including the principle of services of general economic interest, social protection and the role of the social partners in a system of joint regulation - must be incorporated into the basic texts of the EU. CFDT supports the idea of a convention to develop treaty reform proposals, and would like to see the social partners participate as observers.

French representative unions were due take part in a demonstration organised in Brussels under the auspices of ETUC on 13 December 2001, prior to the Laeken summit, to highlight trade union demands to the EU.

Employers' positions

In a letter to the chair of 'debate on the future of Europe' group, the president of the Movement of French Enterprises (Mouvement des entreprises de France, MEDEF), Ernest-Antoine Seillière, refers to previous MEDEF positions more than directly responding to the questionnaire. MEDEF's executive council has issued three different policy statements on EU issues over the past year. In October 2000, it published 'Renewing Europe to ensure successful enlargement' (Rénover l'Europe pour réussir l'élargissement), in which it stresses the need to renew European decision-making processes, in particular, by using qualified majority voting as the standard in the decision-making process of the Council. MEDEF clearly supports increased cooperation whenever needed, especially within the 'euro-zone'. The paper also focuses on the need to simplify EU action, by giving the social and economic actors the opportunity to play a role, especially in coordinating Member States' actions.

In a March 2001 policy statement, entitled 'Bringing France into the European era' (Mettre la France à l'heure de l'Europe), MEDEF deals with the seeming disparity between a strong commitment to Europe and the limited implementation of this commitment and lack of follow-up in Member States, including France. Lastly, MEDEF's June 2001 statement, 'A call for a code of conduct for European actors' (Pour un code de conduite des acteurs de l'Europe), sets out the organisation's suggested measures for improving European governance.

In his letter to the chair of 'debate on the future of Europe' group, the president of MEDEF focuses on the importance – if the scope of the European debate is to be broadened - of creating the right conditions for the introduction of the euro.

A policy statement tabled for the October CDSEI plenary session on the European debate by the French section of the European Centre of Enterprises with Public Participation and of Enterprises of General Economic Interest (CEEP) focuses entirely on the European Commission's white paper on European governance – disregarding the 'debate on the future of Europe' group questionnaire. On the issue of European governance, the French CEEP section mainly examines the issues surrounding the practicalities of consultation with civil society, the need to make greater use of the expertise and practical experience of regional and local actors, and the importance of developing a Europe-wide network of associations or organisations. The second part of the CEEP policy statement deals with the development of European social dialogue and industrial relations, especially on the eve of enlargement. It put forward the idea of an EU initiative to provide the social partners with training on industrial relations in Europe.

Lastly, the French CEEP section's policy statement puts forward an original approach to the general interest and the market by developing the concept of 'services of general economic interest'. CEEP reasserts its interest in new types of EU governance (through the 'open coordination' process, 'contracts of agreed objectives' and joint regulation) and underscores the shortcomings of an overly 'managerial' approach to governance.

Commentary

French trade unions and employers' associations have participated broadly in the debate on the future of the European Union, both regionally and nationally. They have been able to clarify their positions in numerous - some very detailed - policy statements.

However, there has as yet been little feedback from society as a whole. The majority of French people still feel far removed from European issues. Consequently, the move-over to the euro on 1 January 2002 represents an opportunity in this regard. (Maurice Braud, IRES)