Renault crisis talks run into confusion

Date: 10/04/1997

SOCIAL affairs ministers will take advantage of a fairly light agenda when they meet next week to focus on the fall-out from the 'Renault-Vilvoorde' crisis.

The ministers will gather in Luxembourg next Thursday (17 April) just two days after a crisis meeting convened by the Dutch EU presidency to discuss the problem.

This hastily arranged meeting in Brussels will bring together officials from trade unions and employers' organisations along with representatives from the European Commission and member states.

But in their efforts to move swiftly to respond to the Vilvoorde closure, the Dutch have committed what some regard as a diplomatic blunder.

When plans for the talks were first announced, the Dutch failed to make it clear whether they would be held at ministerial or official level, causing much confusion in EU capitals as well as at the Commission, with officials uncertain as to whether Social Affairs Commissioner Pádraig Flynn or a lesser minion was being asked to attend.

It is now appears the meeting will be chaired by Dutch Social Affairs Minister Ad Melkert, with his counterparts from other member states invited to attend on a personal basis.

But few are expected to turn up at such short notice, given that they are due to meet anyway just two days later.

However, the Dutch insist that no harm has been done and say ministers will merely be presented with the conclusions of the earlier meeting on 17 April. “After that it really is up to the social partners to agree on a deal between themselves,” said one official.

But the whole issue is nevertheless likely to be debated at some length in Luxembourg. “This is the big political topic of the moment and there is definitely a feeling that it should be discussed,” said one Council of Ministers official.