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BackThis week, the French Internal Market Commissioner Michel Barnier presented in Brussels the plans of the Commission on the future of the internal market. "The markets must benefit the economy and our citizens", said Barnier. Whether the 50 proposals, which the Commission has presented, have done anything to improve the somewhat damaged trust of workers in the EU remains to be seen. The basic tenor reminds too much of the neoliberal recipes of the past.
The starting point of the proposals presented by the Commission this week was a report of the long-term former Commissioner Mario Monti. His basic idea: the trust of the citizens in the internal market hat not least massively suffered because of the financial and economic crisis. It was therefore necessary to find a big political compromise between such countries, which wanted to drive the internal market forward and other countries, which would support a deepening of the political project 'Europe'.
However, little remained of the political deepening in the 50 proposals, which the Commission presented this week on the future of the internal market. Monti had always pointed out that the acceptance of the internal market project would be very much accompanied by progress concerning the reduction of social and tax dumping. And indeed, Barnier announces in his proposals his intention to present a draft Directive on harmonising the tax assessment basis for corporate taxes in 2011: a demand by AK and trade unions for years, which – even if hesitant – goes in the right direction.
Otherwise a lot of old hats and defensive measures, which put the "citizen at the centre of the internal market, to regain his trust". For example a legally non-binding Communication on public services, which groan under the liberalisation pressure of the past years, which has also been announced for 2011. With regard to the extremely controversial ECJ judgments Viking, Laval and Rueffert, where competition was given priority over the rights of workers, the Commission now announces its intention to be vigilant so that the right to strike, which is a fundamental right, is not restricted. Anyway, the EU Executive intends to present a legislative proposal to implement the Posting of Workers Directive in 2011 in order to get at least a grip on the worst excesses in respect of wage and social dumping.
The rest of the proposals follow the only too well-known Commission logic: better access to financing for SME, simplification of accounting regulations, online trade, EU patent, reduction of red tape etc. Once again, not much is left of Mario Monti's great political idea to reconcile workers with the internal market.
Further information:
Communication of the Commission on future internal market policy
Report by Mario Monti: A new strategy for the internal market
However, little remained of the political deepening in the 50 proposals, which the Commission presented this week on the future of the internal market. Monti had always pointed out that the acceptance of the internal market project would be very much accompanied by progress concerning the reduction of social and tax dumping. And indeed, Barnier announces in his proposals his intention to present a draft Directive on harmonising the tax assessment basis for corporate taxes in 2011: a demand by AK and trade unions for years, which – even if hesitant – goes in the right direction.
Otherwise a lot of old hats and defensive measures, which put the "citizen at the centre of the internal market, to regain his trust". For example a legally non-binding Communication on public services, which groan under the liberalisation pressure of the past years, which has also been announced for 2011. With regard to the extremely controversial ECJ judgments Viking, Laval and Rueffert, where competition was given priority over the rights of workers, the Commission now announces its intention to be vigilant so that the right to strike, which is a fundamental right, is not restricted. Anyway, the EU Executive intends to present a legislative proposal to implement the Posting of Workers Directive in 2011 in order to get at least a grip on the worst excesses in respect of wage and social dumping.
The rest of the proposals follow the only too well-known Commission logic: better access to financing for SME, simplification of accounting regulations, online trade, EU patent, reduction of red tape etc. Once again, not much is left of Mario Monti's great political idea to reconcile workers with the internal market.
Further information:
Communication of the Commission on future internal market policy
Press Release of the Commission
AK Position Paper on the Monti ReportReport by Mario Monti: A new strategy for the internal market