Working commissions to address key economic concerns

As a result of claims and protests by representatives of trade union confederations at national level in May 2006, the Prime Minister approved a decision to set up seven inter-ministerial commissions, as of 20 June 2006, to analyse the claims of the trade unions and to propose solutions for resolving these issues. The commissions comprise ministers, secretaries of state, and chairpersons of a number of national authorities with decision-making powers. For each of the seven commissions, the trade union confederations and employer organisations at national level have also designated their own representatives.

Following a trade union protest meeting on 24 May 2006 (RO0606019I), the Ministry of Labour, Social Solidarity and Family (Ministerul Muncii Solidaritatii Sociale si Familiei, MMSSF), the Ministry of Economy and Commerce (Ministerul Economiei si Comertului, MEC), the Ministry of Health (Ministerul Sanatatii, MS) and the Chancellery of the Prime Minister (Cancelaria Primului Ministru) were given responsibility for setting up and monitoring seven working commissions, approved on 20 June 2006 by a decision of the Prime Minister, Calin Popescu-Tariceanu.

Composition of commissions

The seven commissions set up in accordance with Prime Minister Popescu-Tariceanu’s decision are as follows:

1. The commission for salary policies – coordinated by the MMSSF, it includes representatives of the Ministry of Administration and Interior (Ministerul Administratiei si Internelor, MAI), the Ministry of Public Finances (Ministerul Finantelor Publice, MFP), the Ministry of Education and Research (Ministerul Educatiei si Cercetarii, MEdC), the MS, the Ministry of Justice (Ministerul Justitiei, MJ), the Ministry of National Defence (Ministerul Apararii Nationale, MapN), the National Agency of Civil Servants (Agentia Nationala a Functionarilor Publici, ANFP), the National Institute of Statistics (Institutul National de Statistica, INS) and the National Commission of Prognosis (Comisia Nationala de Prognoza, CNP). This commission will analyse the problems concerning the minimum wage relative to the economy, the salary of civil servants and of contractual budgetary personnel, the unblocking of public administration posts.

2. The commission for the legislative framework in the industrial relations field – coordinated by the MMSSF, it includes representatives of the Department for Social Dialogue, the MFP, the MJ, the ANFP and the Labour Inspectorate (Inspectia Muncii, IM).

3. The commission for social policies – coordinated by the MMSSF, it includes representatives of the ministry and of the National Institute of Pensions and other Social Insurance Rights (Casa Nationala de Pensii si alte Drepturi de Asigurari Sociale, CNPAS).

4. The commission for employment policies – coordinated by the MMSSF, it comprises representatives of the National Employment Agency (Agentia Nationala de Ocupare a Fortei de Munca, ANOFM), the MFP and the MEdC.

5. The commission for utilities-related policies – coordinated by the head of the Prime Minister’s Chancellery, it includes the president of the Romanian Energy Regulatory Agency (Autoritatea Nationala de Reglementare în Domeniul Energiei, ANRE), president of the National Regulatory Authority in the Natural Gas Sector (Autoritatea Nationala de Reglementare în Domeniul Gazelor Naturale, ANRGN) and representatives of the MMSSF.

6. The commission for industrial policies – coordinated by the MEC, it includes representatives of the MFP, the National Authority for Scientific Research (Autoritatea Nationala pentru Cercetare Stiintifica, ANCS), the Ministry of Agriculture, Forests and Rural Development (Ministerul Agriculturii, Padurilor si Dezvoltarii Rurale, MAPDR), the Ministry of Environment and Waters Management (Ministerul Mediului si Gospodaririi Apelor, MMGA), the Ministry of Transport, Construction and Tourism (Ministerul Transporturilor, Constructiilor si Turismului, MTCT), and the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (Ministerul Comunicatiilor si Tehnologiei Informatiilor, MCTI).

7. The commission for free and compensated medicines – coordinated by the MS, it includes representatives of the CNPAS and the MFP.

The trade union confederations and employer organisations at national level have also designated their own representatives for each of the seven commissions.

Key issues discussed in first round of meetings

On 22 June 2006, during the first joint meeting between the commission for utilities-related policies and the commission for industrial policies, issues relating to the price of natural gas and of heating and electricity were addressed, as well as matters concerning the impact of the price increase of utilities on the population. Arising from this meeting, three technical working groups were established for: electricity and heating, natural gas, and social protection.

On 27 June, the commission for free and compensated medicines initiated a discussion on the status of the draft document being developed concerning compensated and free medicines.

On 4 July, the commission for industrial policies addressed the following issues as part of its agenda: incentives for scientific research and technological development; drawing up a strategy to ensure more balanced economic development by fostering investment in sectors with good development and job creation potential; support measures for sectors facing unfair competition; and introducing a set of measures that would lead to the modernisation of agriculture and related industries and to enhancing their competitiveness. During the meeting, the commission decided to establish working groups for: research, consumer goods, agricultural modernisation, taxes and charges, and state aid.

The meetings that took place on 6 and 7 July, coordinated by the MMSSF, addressed the claims concerning the urgent need to set up a mechanism for increasing the minimum wage, along with the issue of the legislative framework in the field of industrial relations and the establishment of labour courts.

According to the MMSSF representatives, the meetings of the commissions are scheduled to take place every two weeks.

Ciutacu Constantin, Institute of National Economy