On 1 July 2015, the first day of the twelfth Luxembourg Presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU), the Minister for Work, Employment, Social Economy and Economic Solidarity Nicolas Schmit came to Brussels to set out the priorities of the Presidency at the opening of the plenary session of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC).
By way of introduction, the Minister remarked that Luxembourg was taking on the Presidency at a "critical moment for the Union", where growth is undoubtedly beginning to emerge, but it is fragile and may suffer internal and external shocks. "There is still a social crisis in Europe [and] we need to come to grips with it". "Europe cannot be associated with notions of despair, failure and disunity", he went on.
The Minister, who ruled out the possibility of a "Europe that loses a State along the way", believes that we now need to "concentrate on the basics, on the things that unite us". "Europe was not designed to punish, but it is an amazing project where all of the Member States dialogue and work together", reminded Nicolas Schmit, as he spoke of the need to "find a new driving force" in Europe.
In relation to the European social model, "which makes us the envy of the world", Nicolas Schmit called for it to be "adapted, adjusted but most importantly safeguarded" because it is a "key instrument for inclusion, and for an innovative, evolving economy". "What we need is social cohesion and we need to work on such social cohesion", continued the Minister, highlighting the need for Europeans to rediscover economic, political and social cohesion.
Priorities of the Luxembourg Presidency
Nicolas Schmit went on to detail the seven priorities of the Presidency, placing particular emphasis on the economic and social aspects.
With regard to the first priority, releasing investment for growth and employment, the Minister stated that the European economy needed to be more efficient and that there was currently an investment lag in Europe. In this regard, Nicolas Schmit welcomed the Juncker investment plan as an "excellent basis for relaunching investment in the EU". This plan will help Europe to encourage growth and build confidence, but it needs to go further, continued the Minister. It needs to support public and private investment, investments in research and business creation, investments in public infrastructure, in particular social infrastructure, and it needs to encourage innovation. With regard to SMEs, Nicolas Schmit believes that Europe needs to give them the resources they need to develop, because they are "the backbone of many of our countries and of the European economy".
Nicolas Schmit then went onto another priority of the Luxembourg Presidency, namely reinforcing the European social dimension. In the Minister's opinion, we need to "bring the social aspect back into the European project", since this dimension has too often "been pushed aside, neglected and even set against the economy".
While confirming that the Presidency will support the idea launched by the President of the European Commission for a "triple-A Europe on social issues", the minister believes that this concept needs to be defined more precisely, and "given content and a method".
"You cannot have good economic governance without a strong social dimension", he stressed, revealing that he was "left unsatisfied" by the report of the five presidents on the deepening of the economic and monetary union (EMU). In his opinion, the report "does not reflect the real value" of the social aspect, and as such should be "corrected and amended". In this regard, Nicolas Schmit also announced that this issue will be debated at the informal meeting of the EPSCO Council on 16 July 2015.
The Minister also brought up the subject of unemployment, considered to be "the scourge of Europe", and he highlighted the intention of the Presidency to "pay more attention to the issue of employment", in particular for young people, without thereby "neglecting other vulnerable groups". Although the youth guarantee scheme constitutes a "first step" in this process, Nicolas Schmit does not believe that this will be enough. In his opinion, "the scope of action needs to be strengthened and broadened", and he announced the intention of the Presidency to submit a paper to its partners focused on two aspects, namely training and job creation.
Nicolas Schmit also discussed the Europe 2020 strategy, which he believes needs to be strengthened, since its objectives, in particular to reduce poverty and social exclusion, "have not been achieved". The Minister also announced that the Presidency is planning a major conference for early December 2015 on the social economy, "a pillar that needs to be strengthened in the interest of growth and employment".
Nicolas Schmit also spoke of several other priorities, such as the ongoing technological revolution, which needs to be treated as an "opportunity". In his opinion, success in this field will depend on the quality of investment, both in infrastructure, but also "necessarily" in knowledge.
The Minister also addressed the issue of migration, believing that Europeans have defined the "beginnings" of a solution, which "still needs to be developed". According to Nicolas Schmit, this is an urgent issue that affects technical aspects, political sensibilities and values. "The Presidency will do everything in its power to achieve an ambitious solution", he explained. In this context, he announced that the three Ministers for Labour from the countries of the Maghreb will be invited to the informal EPSCO Council on 16 July to discuss the subject with the 28 Member States.
Nicolas Schmit also spoke of strengthening the internal market, which he believes to be "neglected", stressing the need to "rediscover its virtues (...) because it is a source of growth". The Minister also spoke of the updating of the Interinstitutional agreement on better law-making. While backing regulations that are more transparent, clearer and with fewer bureaucratic obstacles, he believes that negotiations should lead to an agreement that is respectful of the rules and the competencies of the interested parties and that guarantees economic, social and environmental efficiency.
With regard to the promotion of sustainable development, the Minister reiterated that Luxembourg has a key date pending: the COP21 climate conference, which will take place in Paris in December 2015. Nicolas Schmit promised that the Presidency would work together with all stakeholders to find a solution, since the very survival of the planet is at stake. "Europe has the power to make real change, and I hope that an agreement can be reached", he said.
On strengthening the presence of the EU throughout the world, Nicolas Schmit stated that Luxembourg would work "hand in hand with the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini, and in all matters affecting security in Europe".
Finally, when questioned about the issue of worker mobility, and in particular within the context of the posting directive, a matter that he qualified as "extremely sensitive for employees, unions and companies", the Minister declared that he was "fully conscious of the problem, since the issue is addressed exclusively from the point of view of the freedom to provide services". He highlighted "obvious shortcomings, since the necessary balance with the principle of social nondiscrimination" has not been assured. He also declared that he expects "constructive and balanced proposals from the European Commission on this fundamental aspect.