On the occasion of a symposium organized on October 20, 2008 in Berlin on the theme "recast of the EWC directive - experience and expectations", Olaf Scholz, SPD Federal Minister of Employment and Social Affairs, assured that he would actively support the French presidency of the EU to carry through the draft revision of the EWC directive (see our dispatch No. 080800). According to him, a few improvements are still desirable, but what matters today is "to do everything possible to allow for a quick adoption." (Ref. 080816)
According to the German Minister, if the draft failed, it would be “a catastrophe”. “It is a very complicated process and it is not easy to combine different traditions” the social-democrat pointed out, satisfied by the agreement reached between the European Social Partners on this issue. At the end of August, BusinessEurope and the ETUC reached a joint position and presented 9 amendments to the Council of Ministers and to the European Parliament (see our dispatch No. 080643). According to Olaf
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