From the outside, it is a complete failure on all three fronts. The EU Employment Ministers, who met on December 5, did not reach political agreements for the key files that are working time, temporary work and supplementary pension rights. In reality, it is a halftone failure. Talks revealed an extended consensus on these drafts which will force the presidencies to come, including the French presidency, to carry on with the talks. (Ref. 070997)
The Portuguese presidency went all out and its compromise efforts for the temp work and working time drafts are not going to remain vain. The British’s threat to block the ratification of the Treaty if they were placed as a minority regarding the draft directive on temp work made it hard to adopt it before the end of the year. Nonetheless, talks on these two texts will be based on the compromises made by the Portuguese. The French presidency, which will take office on July 1, 2008, is much expe
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