Informele Raad zal zich concentreren op sociale bescherming (en)

Austria will use the EU Presidency to consolidate the social dimension and at the same time make it more visible and real to the people of Europe. Social Affairs Minister Ursula Haubner, who is chairing the Informal Meeting of Employment and Social Affairs Ministers from Thursday to Saturday in Villach together with the Labour Minister Martin Bartenstein, described the elimination of poverty and social exclusion as priorities.

Haubner is not worried by the trade unions' conference of works council members taking place in parallel to the EU ministerial meeting in Villach. In contrast to Bartenstein, who had criticised the conference organised by the Austrian trade union federation (ÖGB), Haubner said there was absolutely no problem with the social partners. They were involved. Asked specifically about the works council conference, the minister said: "We are talking to everyone concerned with the social affairs theme. That's what makes the whole thing so lively and positive".

Haubner did not specify any objectives tied to concrete figures. She sees the three main tasks in her policy area as:

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  social cohesion and equal opportunities,
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  closer coordination of social objectives for growth and jobs, and
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  getting the public involved in bringing Europe closer to the people.

In her view, the EU countries should also prioritise high-quality health care systems. 

Any measures agreed should be integrated in the national programmes as quickly as possible - and at the latest by September 2006. Haubner: "It is important that our Presidency should send a clear message to Europe that action to combat poverty and social protection measures is a positive contribution to growth and employment and that the objective is to create a new growth and jobs partnership". This could be "another building block in the European way of life and our social model".

She said that "for the first time, a Council Presidency would devote greater importance to social protection" and prepare a social protection report that points up "answers geared to the national circumstances". When asked whether the new report by the Austrian Presidency would also specify an increase in the retirement age as a priority in line with the latest social protection report, Haubner said no: "Raising the pension age is not the way to achieve a sustainable pension system. Other options must be contemplated. Europe's social dimension is more diverse".

Could social themes be included in the EU constitution? The minister: "The social dimension could easily be anchored more firmly in the constitution". "We are definitely not credible and will not be able to win over the public if we do not come out clearly in favour of a social protection programme".