3-4 June, Education and Social Affairs Council

Date: 11/06/1998

MINISTERS failed once again to reach agreement on rules to allow businesses to set up as pan-European companies. As on previous occasions, negotiations foundered over the issue of whether or not employees' representatives should have a place on the boards of such firms. This practice, known as 'co-determination', is enshrined in German law but runs counter to employment practices in most other member states. German State Secretary Horst Günther said Bonn could not accept any solution to the European firm issue which conflicted with its national rules.

THE Council held two debates in preparation for the forthcoming Cardiff summit. Both sets of ministers discussed the national action plans for employment which EU governments presented to the European Commission last month. Social Affairs Commissioner Pádraig Flynn and Commission President Jacques Santer will present their initial assessment of the plans to EU leaders in Cardiff.

MINISTERS also stressed the need to ensure that young people were able to move smoothly from education to employment, and said levels of basic education needed to be improved to meet the changing demands of working life and the challenges of new technologies. They also said more should be done to encourage people to take up education and training opportunities throughout their lives.

THE Council reached political agreement on rules to safeguard supplementary pension rights for people who move from one EU member state to another for work. The directive was not formally adopted as it still has to be approved by the Danish parliament.

EDUCATION Commissioner Edith Cresson presented ministers with a report on the problems facing teachers trying to move around the Union to find work. Cresson said she planned to launch a pilot project which would aim to reinforce the European dimension in education and fight obstacles to teacher mobility. The Council asked the Commissioner to keep them informed of the scheme's progress.