Main News

2017-03-17 12:00

Berlin hosted the final project conference on 14-15 March 2017 for the European social partners for central government, which includes CESI as a member of the employee delegation ‘TUNED’. Participants were able to discuss the final products of a project on psychosocial risks at work, an European Commission-funded health and safety project.

2017-03-16 12:00

Today, CESI’s new Presidium, elected at the last Congress in December 2016, met for the first time to re-constitute CESI’s working structures for the legislative period until 2020. The Presidium also discussed on current political affairs, most notably the White Paper on the future of the EU recently issued by the European Commission.

2017-03-09 12:00

On last week Friday, March 3, CESI and the European Policy Centre (EPC) held a joint CESI@noon/EPC policy dialogue on ‘Putting social investment first: Time for a new narrative for Europe’. The event not only saw the publication of an EPC study on ways towards more social investments in Europe but also continues CESI’s engagement for more public social investments in Europe.

2017-03-08 12:00

March 8 is International Women’s Day. Celebrated under the auspices of the UN every year since 1977, the day recalls persisting and widespread gender inequalities around the world. This year’s theme is ‘Planet 50-50 by 2030: Women in the changing world of work’ – a UN initiative which asks governments and societies to close gender equality gaps within the next 13 years. Kirsten Lühmann, President of CESI’s Commission on Women’s Rights and Equality, translates this into the European context: For her, EU leaders must finally commit to a Europe of social fairness and full gender equality.

2017-03-08 12:00

The Swiss Sovereign has clearly said NO to the reduction of the Public Service in Switzerland.

2017-03-07 12:00

CESI’s 2016 project on safety and health in public administrations formally closed with the publication of a final study on good practices in the management of new and emerging risks for safety and health in the public sector. It draws on the findings of two high level seminars in Copenhagen and Madrid.

2017-03-02 12:00

As of March 2017, CESI has acceded to the European Sunday Alliance, a broad stakeholder coalition on decent working hours and work-life balance.

2017-03-01 12:00

Today, the European Commission published its long-awaited White Paper on the future of the EU. Responding to the White Paper, CESI Secretary General underlined the importance of a strong social dimension for the EU.

2017-02-15 12:00

In a plenary vote today, the European Parliament approved the EU-Canada CETA free trade and investment deal. CETA can therefore come into force provisionally as of April 2017 (except for the area of investment protection), yet has to be approved by national parliaments as well in order to become fully applicable. CESI Secretary General Klaus Heeger calls for a careful scrutiny of worker rights and public services under the agreement.

2017-02-09 12:00

Today, on the 9th February 2017, Secretary General Klaus Heeger met with Commissioner of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports, Mr Tibor Navracsics, handing over CESI´s position paper on the issue of preventing radicalisation.

2017-02-01 12:00

On Friday, January 3, CESI’s Programme Commission met to discuss CESI’s work priorities and main activities for the year 2017.

2017-01-29 12:00

A new CESI position paper on EU free trade and investment agreements, adopted by the CESI Presidium and Board in December 2015, is now available in CESI’s five working languages.

2017-01-28 12:00

Today, CESI’s Programme Commission met to discuss CESI’s work priorities and main activities for the year 2016.

2017-01-27 12:00

The European Commission notified the social partners that there will be no legislative revision of the Working Time Directive. Instead, the Commission announced an ‘Interpretative communication’ to bring more clarity about the proper application of the legislative piece. CESI Secretary General Klaus Heeger welcomed the plans of the European Commission but stressed that the directive is, in its current form, far from satisfactory for many workers.

2017-01-12 12:00

On 12 January CESI, Social Platform and Eurodiaconia held a joint meeting with stakeholders and decision-makers on ways to achieve higher levels of public social investment in European Union Member States. It emerged that increased budgetary flexibility to promote such investment is a real possibility, especially in the areas of early childhood education and care, primary and secondary education, training and active labour market policies, as well as affordable and social housing. There is strong evidence demonstrating the economic benefit of public social investment in these fields, which are also key for developing human capital. Therefore budgetary flexibility could be permitted in areas producing both an economic and social impact.