The Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (EPSCO), which will meet on 9 June 2008 in Luxembourg, will endeavour to find a political solution to two extremely sensitive directives – the Directive concerning certain aspects of the organisation of working time and the Directive regulating the working conditions of temporary agency workers. Both directives, which are of utmost importance for European workers, will be discussed in a package. Among other important items on the agenda of the Council meeting is also the political agreement expected to be reached on the Employment Guidelines for 2008–2010 that have been amended on the basis of an opinion of the European Parliament.
As expected, the ministers will also adopt Council conclusions focusing on administrative cooperation in the field of seconded workers and regarding the assessment of labour market needs and adjustment to those needs with particular attention being paid to young people. The Slovenian Presidency particularly considered young people in the Presidency Employment Programme.
In the field of social policy the ministers will, among other things, adopt a general approach to the missing parts of the Regulation on the coordination of social security systems and to the new chapter of the Regulation which lays down the rules for its implementation. Therewith, the Slovenian Presidency will take an important step forward towards the adoption and entry into force of the legislative package aimed at simplifying and modernising procedures for efficient use of various social security systems for migrant workers.
Despite its great efforts and numerous bilateral negotiations, the Slovenian Presidency has not succeed in reaching an agreement on the outstanding issues regarding the Directive on the rights deriving from supplementary pension insurance. The proposal for the Directive was, therefore, withdrawn from the Council agenda, and the President of the Council will make a statement on the work of the Slovenian Presidency on this important Directive.
The Council will also adopt conclusions on equality between women and men.
