As agreed during the last Tripartite Social Summit, employers' representatives (BusinessEurope, UEAPME and CEEP) and workers' representatives (
ETUC) will meet the College of Commissioners to discuss ways of reinforcing the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU).
According to the
ETUC, too many companies still do not know about these obligations and could end up being penalised if they do not comply on time.
The
ETUC will lead strikes in Spain, Portugal, Greece and Italy, and it will hold demonstrations in France and several Eastern European countries.
'The Commission's original proposal was already very conservative,' states Judith Kirton-Darling,
ETUC confederal secretary, 'and now national governments are watering down those limited demands rather than seeing energy efficiency as a means of creating hundreds of thousands of jobs in Europe'.
The solidarity did not impress Greek demonstrators who welcomed the union leaders with posters outside the conference centre proclaiming "
ETUC bureaucrats go home!".
Company profits have risen for more than a decade, but the share of wealth going into wages has shrunk and the divide has widened between those at the top and bottom,
ETUC, an umbrella body for unions across the continent, said.
ETUC begins by stating its four main priorities: an end to cuts in public spending, stopping competition on wage and working conditions, investment for sustainable jobs and growth and promoting social dialogue and collective negotiation.
Memorable points amongst the 20 priorities listed in the
ETUC document are: developing a European energy solidarity pact; creating a "democratic" European energy agency to promote a common energy policy; ensuring energy bills reflect just prices (socially fair, affordable, based on fair rate of return and not on excessive profit taking); protecting vulnerable energy consumers and reducing the energy bill of low and medium-income households.
In the wake of several cases of fraud on CO2 markets in recent months, the European Trade Union Confederation (
ETUC) recommends clear rules and appropriate legislative instruments for the carbon market.