Activities of Frédéric DAERDEN related to 2013/2177(INI)
Shadow opinions (1)
OPINION on the action plan for a competitive and sustainable steel industry in Europe
Amendments (25)
Amendment 1 #
Draft opinion
Citation 1 a (new)
Citation 1 a (new)
- having regard to Eurofound's Representativeness study of the European social partner organisations: Steel industry1; __________________ 1 Eurofound (2009) Representativeness study of the European social partner organisations: Steel industry , http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/docs/eiro /tn0811027s/tn0811027s.pdf.pdf
Amendment 7 #
Draft opinion
Recital A (a) (new)
Recital A (a) (new)
Aa. whereas centres of steel production form the backbone of local economies and when they undergo any form of restructuring there is a major impact on the whole economic fabric of the areas concerned;
Amendment 12 #
Draft opinion
Recital A (f) (new)
Recital A (f) (new)
Af. whereas, compared with other sectors, industrial relations are strongly organised in the steel industry; whereas this characteristic is made manifest by the high degree of unionisation, the strong presence of employer organisations which also have a high density, and the high level of collective bargaining coverage; whereas this is reflected at the European level, where the steel industry has been at the forefront in terms of developing social partnership relations 1; __________________ 1 Eurofound (2009) Representativeness study of the European social partner organisations: Steel industry , http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/docs/eiro /tn0811027s/tn0811027s.pdf.pdf
Amendment 17 #
Draft opinion
Recital A (k) (new)
Recital A (k) (new)
Ak. whereas Eurofound will publish the 2013 report entitled "Industrial relations practices related to psychosocial constraints at work in the steel sector"1; __________________ 1 Forthcoming Eurofound (2013) industrial relations practices related to psychosocial constraints at work in the steel
Amendment 18 #
Draft opinion
Recital A (l) (new)
Recital A (l) (new)
Al. whereas Eurofound will publish the 2014 report entitled "Role of social dialogue in industrial policies"1; __________________ 1 Forthcoming Eurofound (2013) industrial relations practices related to psychosocial constraints at work in the steel
Amendment 19 #
Draft opinion
Recital A (m) (new)
Recital A (m) (new)
Am. whereas Eurofound will publish the report on "Working conditions and job quality in manufacturing: sectoral information sheet from the 5th European Working Conditions Survey"1; __________________ 1 Eurofound working conditions and job quality in manufacturing: sectoral information sheet from the 5th European Working Conditions Survey which includes the Steel Sector, January 2014
Amendment 23 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Is concerned at the lack of ambition in the action plan for the steel industry in Europe; calls for a strategy that draws on all the European Union policy tools, – which should be better funded – including for employment and training and R&D;
Amendment 26 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 (a) (new)
Paragraph 1 (a) (new)
1a. Calls for enhanced efforts to be made to implement the EU 2020 objectives of smart, sustainable and inclusive growth by promoting a stronger European steel industry; stresses, in this context, the importance of maintaining a strong industrial base in Europe; points out that research, development and innovation are becoming increasingly important, especially as regards the need to develop less resource-intensive methods of production which do not harm the competitiveness of European companies and boost employment;
Amendment 27 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 (b) (new)
Paragraph 1 (b) (new)
1b. Recommends too that the Member States channel investment into human resources and that they improve the conditions for the exercise of the right to training and learning, while allowing permeability among the various training systems, not only in order to anticipate, and respond to, the demand for skilled labour in a steel industry oriented towards new technologies and an energy-efficient green economy but also to reinforce the entire production chain, including the basic steel production facilities necessary for the development of high-technology industries;
Amendment 29 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 (d) (new)
Paragraph 1 (d) (new)
1d. Stresses that steelworkers are considerably more likely than other workers in the manufacturing industries to report being 'under-skilled' for their current duties at work; calls for significant investment in skills and training to address skills mismatch in the steel sector and secure the sector's competitiveness and future viability;
Amendment 30 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 (e) (new)
Paragraph 1 (e) (new)
1e. Welcomes the two EU policy instruments involving social partners namely European Sectoral Social Dialogue Committees and the High-Level Group for the Steel Industry, as they have made a positive contribution to industrial policy issues in this sector and supports the continuation of the High-Level Group;
Amendment 36 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 (a) (new)
Paragraph 2 (a) (new)
2a. Calls for higher involvement of social partners at national level in the debate on the implementation of the Action Plan for the steel industry in Europe;
Amendment 37 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 (b) (new)
Paragraph 2 (b) (new)
2b. Highlights how the cost of energy puts European steel plants’ competitiveness under pressure; notes the Commission’s commitment to publish the guidelines on State aid rules in relation to renewables and to publish an orientation letter on evaluating the competitiveness of long- term electricity contracts, as well as to invest in research and innovation in the field of energy production technology for the steel industry;
Amendment 39 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 (d) (new)
Paragraph 2 (d) (new)
2d. Emphasises that a binding international agreement on climate change, including as many parties as possible, will afford the European steel industry some degree of protection against environmental dumping; asks Member States to assess thoroughly the potential impact on the EU steel industry of all national measures concerning the energy prices charged to electricity-intensive industries or green taxation;
Amendment 43 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Endorses the principle that ongoing social dialogue with workers' representatives should be a requirement; calls for ambitious EU-level arrangements for keeping workers informed and consulting them, and for works councils to be given more rights and responsibilities; the existence of additional (formal and informal) social dialogue structures such as working groups, Steering Committees, etc. offer a place for increased exchange between workers and the employer;
Amendment 45 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 (a) (new)
Paragraph 3 (a) (new)
3a. Underlines the need for long-term strategies permitting enterprises and employees to adapt to structural transformations, while anticipating change and minimising social impact; reiterates its call for a legal act on information and consultation of workers and anticipation and management of restructuring; attaches particular importance to long-term planning for structural change designed to ensure a gradual transition if labour requirements change; stresses that skill levels should be such as to secure employment and allow a transition to new forms of production and business models where necessary;
Amendment 51 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 (g) (new)
Paragraph 3 (g) (new)
3g. Stresses that, in order to enhance further social dialogue on the topic of psychosocial constraints at work in the European steel sector, special attention should paid to the specific features of working conditions, to identifying sector- specific causes - such as, for example, the heavy nature of steel production work, the properties of the workforce (male, high age structure), environmental concerns, the proliferation of technological innovations and the substantial restructuring of the European steel industry - and to verifying their impact on the work floor, which can improve sectorial exchange and reflection on prevention practices; further stresses that all key prevention players (be it at European, national or local level), including company management, OSH services, workers' representatives, etc.) can prevent psychosocial constraints at work on all prevention levels; they can continue improving the two sides of the same coin, i.e. health and performance;
Amendment 59 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Stresses the importance of EU support for training to anticipate skill needs and to adapt workers' skill levels, also through lifelong learning, and employment in industrial transition processes; calls for such support to be kept in place and for its use to be monitored;
Amendment 64 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 (a) (new)
Paragraph 4 (a) (new)
4a. Calls for the European Social Fund to be used for the retraining and reskilling of workers and improvements in lifelong learning, addressing skills needs, skills matching and anticipation of change in the steel industry, taking into account the need to shift towards a less resource intense economy;
Amendment 65 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 (b) (new)
Paragraph 4 (b) (new)
4b. Calls on the Member States to make full use of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) as a short-term measure in the event of plant closures and significant downsizing; reiterates its view that the design of EGF measures should be compatible with the shift towards a resource-efficient and environmentally sustainable economy;
Amendment 72 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Calls for account to be taken in the new European strategy on health and safety at work, and in policy documents on pensions, of the arduous nature of work in the steel sector; stresses that workers in the steel sector are at higher risk of experiencing job strain, being exposed to physical risks and experiencing health problems as a result of their work activity than the average worker in the EU28.
Amendment 73 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 (a) (new)
Paragraph 5 (a) (new)
5a. Recommends that the Commission assess the extent to which refusal by a group with worldwide operations to surrender a steel production site which it has decided to close to another group which might take it over, or to a public entity for temporary use, is permissible under European competition law;
Amendment 75 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 (c) (new)
Paragraph 5 (c) (new)
5c. Stresses the need for the Union to protect its steel industry interests in the context of its trade relations, both in the drafting of its trade agreements, or its legislation on access to its public markets for third-country undertakings, and in the too rare use of its protection tools against unfair competition from third-country undertakings;
Amendment 76 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 (d) (new)
Paragraph 5 (d) (new)
5d. Recommends that the Commission and Member States adopt the necessary provisions for the emergence of a European industrial policy which is not weakened by competition between Member States such as exists at present; recommends, to this end, upward convergence of national social standards and fiscal harmonisation;
Amendment 77 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 (e) (new)
Paragraph 5 (e) (new)
5e. Calls on Member States, in the event of potential amendments to the Treaties, to establish a common industrial policy with an ambition and instruments comparable to those of the common agricultural policy, i.e. involving genuine transnational consultation with a view to a common strategy, ample funding and market regulation tools such as the other major trading areas in the world have, for example a monetary tool or State aid rules adapted to the needs of our industry, while complying with international law;