Laval

Calling for a clear commitment of PES to a Social Europe

ECOSY – Young European Socialist is calling for a clear commitment of the PES to a Social Europe agenda. The recent decisions by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) in the Laval, Viking and Rüffert case will harm the trust of Europe’s citizens in the EU institutions. “We need a clear message from the PES to the European voters that we want a Social Europe safeguarded by minimum social standards all over Europe. Otherwise people will lose faith in the European project”, says Nils Hindersmann ECOSY Vice President.

The Laval, the Viking and the Rüffert case is series of cases in which the ECJ has shown that its interpretation of the European Treaties is clearly internal market oriented. The ECJ sees a clear priority for the functioning of the internal market and the free movement of all production factors rather than the compliance with national social standards and wage policies. Now, it is up to the political actors to use all legal instruments to change this prioritization and to give the EU a clear social dimension. “The instruments for a clear social dimension of the EU are there already. The posting and the public procurement directive for instance have to be reformed in way that social dumping in the EU becomes more and more unattractive. Only the political will seems to be lacking”, concludes Hindersmann.