The Austrian Federal Chamber of Labour welcomes the Commissions’ initiative to reform the structure of the EU banking sector.

The so-called “Plurilateral Services Agreement (PSA)” is being rushed through on the basis of intransparent and exclusive consultations, a lack of impact assessments and with high time pressure.

This draft Directive contains proposed measures to remove obstacles to the exercise of rights and to prevent the discrimination of workers on the basis of their nationality.

A binding regulation of lobbying activities at the EU level including the requirement to register and to adhere to certain standards of behavior would be the most effective way of regulating these activities. Examples, in the EU, but also in third countries (US, Canada) show the variety of such mandatory approaches, but also their feasibility.

The BAK therefore urges the EU Commission, to make important documents of public inter-est, such as the drafts for negotiating mandates to the EU Commission, available for a broad public debate.

Statistical Office of the European Communities Eurostat this week presented alarming figures on poverty and social exclusion: in 2011, 27 % of children under 18 in the 27 Member States were either at risk of poverty, had to suffer significant material deprivation and/or lived in households with low levels of employment. In Austria, this already affects every fifth child, whereby here too, the risk of children living in poverty is higher than that of the overall population.

On 28 November 2012, the European Commission presented its Annual Growth Survey 2013, which launches the third policy co-ordination cycle of the European Semester.

The European Union, and in particular the Eurozone, are faced with enormous problems: economic output is once again in decline and unemployment is constantly reaching new heights. Instead of effectively tackling the causes of the financial and economic crisis, the European Union’s exit strategy failed, undermining the potential for growth and employment.

The Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee (IMCO) of the European Parliament will vote on the proposal for a Directive on the award of concession contracts within the next few days. Eleven members of the IMCO Committee from five different political groups have tabled amendments to reject the Commission proposal.