GRTU participation at the European Level

GRTU Director General formed part of
the EuroCommerce group representing the commercial establishments in the 25 EU
market states.

The Social Dialogue Committee for Commerce expressed their
views on the Proposal for a Directive on Services in the Internal Market and
discussed the latest figures in commerce in an enlarged Europe with paticular
reference to any hindrance to the free movement of goods caused by acceding
states.

Some things the proposed Services Directive would do:
ï‚· Help
boost economic growth and sustainable jobs by laying the foundations for a real
European Internal Market for services
ï‚· Make it easier for businesses,
especially SMEs, to provide services throughout the EU, thus improving quality
and choice for consumers
ï‚· Improve cooperation between national authorities
to protect and inform consumers and to combat rogue operators, illegal work
etc.
ï‚· Ensure that a service company posting workers to another Member State
fully applies that Member State’s employment laws – including minimum wages – in
order to avoid ‘social dumping’
ï‚· Remove pointless red tape in a measured and
gradual way, by Member States working together
ï‚· Help stop discrimination
against companies and customers on grounds of nationality
ï‚· Clarify under
which conditions patients are reimbursed for medical care obtained in another
Member State

Some things the Proposed Services Directive would not
do:
ï‚· Force Member States to liberalise or privatise ‘public services’ or
open them to competition
ï‚· Affect the freedom of the Member States to define
what they consider to be ‘public services’, or how they should be organised and
financed
ï‚· Change the way Member States choose to organise health and social
security systems
ï‚· Impose extra costs on Member States social security
systems
ï‚· Allow social dumping by bringing in ‘cheap’ workers
ï‚· Prevent
Member States from checking and controlling companies and workers operating on
their territory
ï‚· Endanger national laws that genuinely protect health,
safety and consumer rights

The Director General of GRTU, Mr. Vince
Farrugia, presented a paper on the impact of the proposed Services Directive on
the small business in the retail, trading and wholesale
sectors.