Socialists and Services Directive

international | eu | press release

Wednesday March 23, 2005 10:59

by Michael Mc Loughlin - Labour Party

mmclo at eircom dot net

European Parliament Socialists today claimed victory in their campaign to secure far-reaching changes in proposed rules on Europe's lucrative market in services.

SOCIALISTS CLAIM VICTORY ON SERVICES DIRECTIVE

European Parliament Socialists today claimed victory in their campaign to secure far-reaching changes in proposed rules on Europe's lucrative market in services.

After the EU Summit agreed to revision of the draft directive on services, Martin Schulz, leader of the Parliament's 202-strong Socialist Group, immediately threw down a challenge to his right-wing opponents.

Mr Schulz called on the European People's Party Group to support him during the parliamentary progress of the legislation in changing the legislation to allow "more competitiveness and more social cohesion."

The Socialist Group has campaigned against the draft directive's threat of social dumping – cutting wages, consumer rights and environmental standards – as a result of service provision from low-cost countries.

Said Mr Schulz: "The decision by the EU Summit is a victory for the Socialist Group. During the parliamentary stage of the procedures, we will do everything in our power to improve this directive in terms of social responsibility.

"I now call on the EPP to give their support to our proposals It is time for them to stand up and be counted and to show whether or not they wish to safeguard the European social model."

German social democrat Evelyne Gebhardt is to put forward a comprehensive reform of the proposed directive in a parliamentary report for debate in Strasbourg later this year.

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Comments (6 of 6)

charlie's an angel @*!:-o

by ollie - katalyzer

Wed Mar 23, 2005 13:34

according to george monbiot, charlie mccreevy has been instrumental in this lefty shift in europe.....

(mccreevy ref is at the end, but its overall worth reading to get to the charlie's an angel bit)

http://www.monbiot.com/archives/2005/03/08/the-real-straight-banana/#more-922

for those of you with access to €U satelite TV

by angel - "does my bum look big in this?"

Wed Mar 23, 2005 14:59

the wonderful post feminist morality tale "charlies angels" will be broadcast this Easter as part of a union wide drive to reduce schoolyard violence.

What socialists

by spinner

Thu Mar 24, 2005 19:06

Don't make us laugh! Connolly, Larkin and the rest of the long gone genuine socialists are spinning in their graves. It's not surprising that the Labour Party never seem to cop on. Blind to the truth1

SPinner

by Curious

Fri Mar 25, 2005 19:14

What did the SP or the CWI ever do to oppose the Directive? If you had your way Trade Unions would be abolished and workers would be put under military discipline just as happened in the USSR under Trotsky LONG before Stalin took power.

Curious

by Michael Gallagher

Sun Mar 27, 2005 18:02

If those comments were directed at me, well you missed -I'm not a member of the SP. As for the comments themselves, they deserve a big HA HA, they are way off the mark also!!

curious

by P. rabbit

Mon Mar 28, 2005 20:14

tell that to your coalition partners to be (maybe!) I'd say the blueshirts will love that one.

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Socialists and Services Directive

Comments (6 of 6)