Main News

2018-01-24 12:00

On January 23 the European Commission and the European Long-Term Investors (ELTI) Association published a report on ‘Boosting Investment in Social Infrastructure in Europe’. Chaired by the former European Commission President Romano Prodi and French Economic and Finance Minister Christian Sautter, the report comes to the conclusion that both public and private investment in social affairs are insufficient in Europe. CESI welcomes the report which underpins its longstanding demand for more social investments in Europe.

2018-01-19 12:00

At its last meeting of the old year in December 2017 the Presidium of CESI adopted a new position paper on priorities for a more social Europe. The position follows up the European Commission’s White Paper on the Future of the EU and its accompanying reflection papers as published in the course of 2017.

2018-01-19 12:00

After the ambitious November 2017 communication on “Strengthening European identity through education and culture’, the European Commission has now released the so-called ‘Education Package’. Reflecting major parts of CESI’s key demands in the education sector, Secretary General Klaus Heeger strongly welcomed the package.

2018-01-11 12:00

After an intensive year 2017, CESI is gearing up for 2018. Based on trustful and reliable cooperation, the General Secretariat is looking forward to embrace the new year together with its member organisations, affiliates and partners.

2018-01-09 12:00

Until January 5, the European Commission ran a second phase EU social partner consultation on possible EU measures for social protection in all forms of employment. As part of the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights, this followed a first phase of the consultation which ran earlier in 2017 and may result in legislative and/or non-legislative proposals by the European Commission this spring. In its second phase response, CESI advocated binding rules at the EU level for a formal and mandatory effective social protection coverage at an adequate level for all those economically active in de facto dependent work-relationships, including bogus self-employment.

2018-01-08 12:00

On January 5, CESI issued statements to the European Commission on the occasion of ad-hoc EU social partner consultations on a possible creation of a new European Labour Authority (ELA) and European Social Security Number (ESSN). According to CESI, both an ELA as well as an ESSN could contribute to fairer and more rule-based labour mobility in the EU, a matter which CESI has advocated for long.

2017-12-21 12:00

Today, the European Commission published a long-awaited legislative proposal on a revision of the EU written statement directive 91/533. Along with an extended ‘information package’ that employees should be obliged to receive when starting a new job and new minimum rights for a better predictability of work, the proposal suggests a rebranding of the legislation as “directive on transparent and predictable working conditions in the European Union”. In CESI’s view, the European Commission’s proposal is a step forward and missed opportunity at the same time.

2017-12-15 12:00

On December 5, CESI’s Trade Council on ‘Local and Regional Administration’ (LRA) held its constitutive meeting after CESI’s Congress in December last year. Following the elections of the presidency and vice-presidency for the term until 2020, the trade council, as CESI’s internal members’ committee for deliberation and positioning in the field of local and regional administration, discussed some of CESI’s most pressing European priorities that concern the employment conditions of local and regional administration employees in Europe.

2017-12-13 12:00

On December 11 the Council adopted a decision to establish the Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO), as laid down in the Lisbon Treaty. This framework of cooperation will enable the 25 Member States party to the decision* to work more closely to “develop jointly defence capabilities, invest in shared projects, and enhance the operational readiness and contribution of their armed forces.” Thomas Sohst, President of CESI’s ‘Defence’ Trade Council and affiliate of CESI’s member organisation DBwV (the German Armed Forces Association), welcomes the Council’s decision.

2017-12-12 12:00

Today, CESI’s Trade Council ‘Post & Telecoms’ met in Brussels. Next to an evaluation of CESI’s new participation in the European sectoral social dialogue on postal services, a deliberation on the ongoing negotiations on a new EU regulation on cross-border parcel delivery services were discussed.

2017-12-08 12:00

On Wednesday, the European Commission published a long-awaited roadmap for deepening Europe’s Economic and Monetary Union (EMU). Referring to a “window of opportunity” for action, the European Commission proposes to establish a European Monetary Fund, the integration of the Stability and Growth Pact (SGP) into the EU’s legal framework and new budgetary instruments for a more stable euro area within the EU framework. The European Commission also wishes to create a new post of European Minister of Economy and Finance to implement a deeper EMU. In a first reaction to the proposals made by the Commission, CESI Secretary General Klaus Heeger expressed cautious optimism.

2017-12-05 12:00

Following a three-year establishment phase by mandate from the Presidium of CESI, on November 30 CESI Youth held its first Congress in Rome. Matthäus Fandrejewski from CESI’s German member organisation dbb was elected as the CESI Youth Representative and Valentina Viviani from CESI’s Italian affiliate Cisal as the CESI Youth Vice-Representative and this for a period of four years.

2017-11-27 12:00

On November 22, the European Commission published this years’ European Semester Autumn Package. The package, which includes the 2018 Annual Growth Survey (AGS), jumpstarts the next European Semester, the EU’s annual cycle of national economic policy coordination. Compared to previous editions, CESI welcomes a shift of language in this year’s AGS towards social and investment aspects of economic governance in the Member States.

2017-11-22 12:00

The Paradise Papers – On November 5, the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists released information on a leak of 13.4 million confidential electronic documents relating to tax-avoiding offshore investments, including by multinational companies and VIPs. This is a commentary from Fernand Muller from the Union of Finance Personnel in Europe, who looked at Shakira’s mention in the Paradise Papers.

2017-11-20 12:00

On October 25, the European Commission decided to increase the budget allocated to the Erasmus+ programme to more than 2.7 billion. In line with the calls for proposals for Erasmus+ for 2018, published the same day, the financial resources of the programme will increase by 200€ million. CESI Youth Representative Matthäus Fandrejewski is delighted to witness more dedication to youth and exchange programmes.