East Midlands Councils provides a mechanism for local authorities to be part of consultation groups influencing the development of employment matters at European level, including new EC Directives.
East Midlands is a member of the Partnership of Public Employers (PPE). PPE represents the interests of public sector employers in the UK. Cllr Ian Fleetwood, Chair of the Employment Board of East Midlands Councils.
The latest newsletter provides an update on developments at European level on workforce matters and can be downloaded from the link .
NEWS ALERT – 7 JUNE 2013
Equal Pay : Consultation on Transparency Recommendation
The Commission is consulting on a proposal to issue a Recommendation that would encourage Member States to take action on wage transparency, which the Commission believes would enhance implementation of the equal pay principle (see link below). As a Recommendation, it would not have any legal force, but it could have influence, politically or otherwise.
The type of steps the Recommendation could encourage are:
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enabling employees to request pay information;
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disclosure of wages within organisations, broken down by gender;
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pay audits; and
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encouraging the discussion of equal pay issues in collective bargaining.
The consultation asks in particular:
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Do you agree that a Recommendation aiming to implement the equal pay principle should focus on transparency?
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Which would be the most effective measures the Commission could recommend to encourage wage transparency at national level?
To inform our response, we would welcome your comments to the questions above, as well as any more general views you may have on the proposal. To enable this, we would need your comments by Thursday, 13 June and you should email them to Janet Beaumont (janet@ceepuk.co.uk)
Commission Equal Pay Wage Transparency
Commission report on the Barcelona objectives and new expert study on the gender gap in pensions in the EU
We would like to inform you that the Commission has released a Commission report on the Barcelona objectives and also published a new expert study on the gender gap in pensions in the EU.
Childcare: Commission calls on Member States to do more
The Commission report on the Barcelona objectives published today shows that most EU countries have missed the targets agreed by the European Council in 2002 for availability and accessibility of childcare services. Only eight EU Member States were able to meet the targets for both age categories (0-3 years; 3 years to mandatory school age) in 2010: Belgium, Denmark, Spain, France, the Netherlands, Sweden, Slovenia and United Kingdom. Significant improvements still need to be made to achieve a satisfactory level of availability, especially for children under 3. High costs incurred by parents and the opening hours of facilities, which are incompatible with full-time work remain challenging. Investment in high quality services must be continued.
(see: http://ec.europa.eu/justice/gender-equality/files/documents/130531_barcelona_en.pdf
http://ec.europa.eu/justice/gender-equality/files/documents/130531_barcelona_fr.pdf)
New Study on the Gender Gap in Pensions
The new expert study on the gender gap in pensions in Europe published today is the first study of its kind. The study reveals that the effects of lower employment rates among women extend into their retirement age: women receive average pensions which are 39% lower compared to those of men. Gender gaps in pensions are the result of three labour market trends: (1) women are less likely to be in employment than men; (2) they work fewer hours and/or years; and (3) they receive lower wages on average. Pension systems are not simply neutral reflections of past employment histories: pensions may reduce, reproduce or even reinforce gender inequalities in the labour market and in the division of care responsibilities between women and men.
(see: http://ec.europa.eu/justice/gender-equality/files/documents/130530_pensions_en.pdf)
Press release
MEMO
PROGRESS open call for proposals in the area of gender equality published
We would like to inform you that a new open call for proposals (under PROGRESS) aiming to support civil society has been published in DG Justice’s website:
http://ec.europa.eu/justice/newsroom/grants/index_en.htm
You will find the detailed description of the two priorities for funding under section 2:
This call is open to non-profit making bodies. Eligible applicants could be entities such as non-governmental organisations, social partners, higher education institutions, research centres and institutes.
Applying organisations are highly encouraged to establish transnational partnerships and actions proposed should aim to generate a clear European added-value.
Financial provisions and details about eligibility, selection and award criteria to be used for the assessment of proposals are described in the text of the call for proposals.
Important information is also to be found on the Guide for Applicants that constitutes an integral part of the call (follow same link).
Should you have questions on any aspect of this call, please send an email to: JUST-PROGRESS@ec.europa.eu
CSRs for 2013 adopted
We would like to inform you that the Commission adopted its proposals for the 2013 country specific recommendations (CSRs) and Staff Working Documents (SWDs). CSRs for 13 countries have important references related to gender equality covering in particular the equalisation of retirement ages for men and women, availability of affordable and high-quality childcare facilities, provision of all-day schools and out-of school care facilities, fiscal disincentives for second earners, the gender pay gap and the gender pension gap. Specific information about your country is available on the Europe 2020 website.
Please refer to the Press Pack for further information:
CEEP – Sustainability Board – 20 June 2013 (pm) in Paris
A meeting of the Sustainability Board will take place in Paris on Thursday 20 June 2013 at 14:30. The following documents are available at present:
13SB03-inv2013-06-20 ; 13SB04-agenda2013-06-20; 13ener05-draft-criteria-market; SB2013-06-20
Please register if you intend to participate in this meeting.
Social Europe e-newsletter : 4 June 2013
Latest Social Europe e-newsletter : Social Europe e-newsletter 4 June 2013
NEWS ALERT – 5 APRIL 2013
The European social partners are running a project entitled “A toolkit for Gender Equality in Practice” as part of the Integrated Programme of the EU Social Dialogue 2013-14.
The main objective of this project is to develop a toolkit encompassing a web-based database, a brochure and a video, building upon the results obtained by the 2005 Framework of Actions. The project aims to promote concrete examples of social partners’ activities on gender equality at workplace level.
The project will encompass three phases:
- desk-research;
- creating and designing a web-based toolkit, producing a video and editing a brochure;
- launching the toolkit and organising an EU-level Conference on 7 March 2014.
We are urgently seeking case study examples under the following four priorities for the desk top exercise:
- addressing gender roles,
- promoting women in decision-making,
- supporting work-life balance,
- tackling the gender pay gap
Your responses please by 12 April 2013
Please see link below to the draft joint statement on social partner involvement in European economic governance, which includes the changes proposed by ETUC in reaction to our first draft as was presented at the meeting on 20 March. Also included in this document as track changes are initial BUSINESSEUROPE counter proposals.
Draft statement – econgovernance – TU comments + BE 03.04.13 clean
I also attach a clean version of this document, which includes guiding comments from BUSINESSEUROPE for us to comment on as well if we have comments. When and if you submit your feedback on the statement, please use the clean version and track changes.
Draft statement – econgovernance – TU comments + BE 03.04.13 tracked
In order to take into account our views and to send a response to ETUC before next week’s meeting as was agreed on 20 March, I kindly ask for your comments on this version of the statement by close of business on Friday 5 April.
To be noted:
BUSINESSEUROPE suggests in the attached to stick to our proposal to focus social partner involvement on labour markets aspects. They suggest to freeze the relevant parts between brackets in the version that will be sent to trade unions before the meeting on 10 April. We will then discuss in the employers’ group on 10 April whether/how to make some trade-off with unions on this issue;
See below links to information received from our partners Eversheds LLP:
How are employers managing without the default retirement age
DWP consults on plans to simplify auto-enrolment legislation
Apprenticeships : NHS Employers
Posted on behalf of Kate Ling, Senior European Policy Manager – NHS European Office
I thought you might all be interested to see the attached link to the Apprenticeships section of the NHS Employers website. The website will be updated shortly with links to further case studies, photos, news articles etc produced as a result of the recent UK National Apprenticeship Week
http://www.nhsemployers.org/RecruitmentAndRetention/DomesticRecruitment/Pathways-to-employment/Apprenticeships/Pages/Apprenticeships.aspx
CEEP : Proposed Programme for 24-27 June 2013 – Dublin
The current plan for Dublin (Morrison Hotel) is as follows:
Monday 24 June: AM General Assembly, PM start of the Public Services conference, featuring launch of Mapping 2, Evening trip to Guinness Brewery
Tuesday 25 June: AM and PM conference continues (David Simmonds slotted as one of the Workshop speakers, because Hillingdon is one of the case studies in the Mapping 2 report).
Close of conference is 4pm.
Wednesday 26 June: Social Affairs Board
Thursday 27 June: SAB working groups
“Pulse of Public Services”
The deadline for responses has been extended to 6 March 2013. You can participate by following this link
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ceeppps
CEEP : Environment : EIA draft Directive, proposal for a CEEP opinion
The following information has been sent to members of CEEP Environment Task Force:
Thank you very much for your various contributions on the draft directive on environment impact assessment. They have been very useful. Mr Haarmann drafted a proposal for a CEEP position on that basis.
You are kindly asked to
- check whether you would like further items to be dealt with
- improve the arguments where you deem it necessary.
As far as possible, please formulate your remarks in the form of amendments to the text. In order to be involved in the decision-making process, your remarks are expected by Monday 8 April at the latest. Please send them to Mr Haarmann haarmann@vku.de with copy to mireille.vandomme@ceep.eu
The draft, as well as the results of the first debate in the Environment Council can be found on the following link: 13env04-EIA-opinion
The legislative procedure can be consulted here: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/ficheprocedure.do?reference=2012/0297(COD)%26l=en
CEEP Energy Task Force : 10 April 2013
A meeting of the CEEP Energy Task Force will take place from 14:00 to 17:00 on Wednesday 10 April 2013 in Brussels. Please find attached below links invitation and draft Agenda:
Energy 10 April 2013 : Invite; Energy 10 April 2013 : draft Agenda
CEEP Public Services Board : 12 April 2013
A meeting of the CEEP Public Services Board will take place from 10:30 to 16:30 on Friday 12 April 2013 in Brussels. Link to draft Agenda: Public Services Board – 12 April 2013 – draft Agenda
CEEP Water & Environment Task Forces : 29 April 2013
In order to take account of the meeting of the Sustainability Board taking place on 29 April from 9:30 to 12:00, the Water and Environment Task Forces will have a joint meeting in the afternoon at 13:30. The invitation and the minutes of the last Water meeting are available below:
Water Environment 29 April 2013 : Invite ; Water 21 January 2013 : Minutes; Water – Annex CEEP activities
The agenda will be available soon. Please note that the revision of the Environment Impact Assessment Directive will be discussed. CEEP draft opinion is available too and you are kindly asked to check whether you would like to propose amendments to it.
13env04 EIA opinion