Πρόεδρος. – Ο Πρόεδρος έλαβε από το Συμβούλιο τις θέσεις του σε πρώτη ανάγνωση, καθώς και τους λόγους που ώθησαν το Συμβούλιο να τις υιοθετήσει, και τις θέσεις και γνωμοδοτήσεις της Επιτροπής. Οι πλήρεις τίτλοι θα καταχωριστούν στα Συνοπτικά Πρακτικά της παρούσας συνεδρίασης. Επομένως, η τρίμηνη προθεσμία που έχει το Κοινοβούλιο για να αποφανθεί αρχίζει να τρέχει από αύριο 26 Νοεμβρίου 2021.
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Προτού προχωρήσουμε στις συζητήσεις και πριν από τη σημερινή ψηφοφορία η οποία θα αρχίσει στις 9.30 και κατά τη διάρκεια της οποίας θα ψηφίσουμε επί της απόφασης της επιτροπής EMPL για την έναρξη διοργανικών διαπραγματεύσεων σχετικά με:
- την πρόταση οδηγίας του Ευρωπαϊκού Κοινοβουλίου και του Συμβουλίου για επαρκείς κατώτατους μισθούς στην Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση
τον λόγο μπορούν να λάβουν μόνο ένας ομιλητής υπέρ της απόφασης της επιτροπής για έναρξη διαπραγματεύσεων και ένας ομιλητής κατά της απόφασης.
Johan Danielsson (S&D). – Mr President, thank you for the floor. I want to talk on behalf of all those who have supported our call to ensure a meaningful vote for the whole Parliament on the Directive for adequate minimum wages. I want to start by thanking Marianne Vind, Nikolaj Villumsen, Malin Björk and other colleagues from different groups and Member States who have contributed to collecting signatures. Because, colleagues, the proposal for a Directive on adequate minimum wages in the EU is perhaps one of the most important files during this mandate. It is therefore only reasonable that the whole Parliament get a meaningful say on our position, not just the 35 Members who voted in favour of the mandate in the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL).
By voting against the trilogue mandate today we would secure a meaningful vote on the directive in the plenary in December. Otherwise, we will not see this file until it’s a done deal after the trilogues. Council has not yet adopted its position so we can afford the three weeks requested to ensure a democratic and meaningful vote on Parliament’s position. I therefore urge you to vote against a negotiating mandate for the minimum wage file today.
I would also like to tell you about the specific concerns from a Swedish and Danish perspective. In our countries, businesses, trade unions and all political parties across the spectrum, all agree that this proposal risks undermining our well-functioning collective bargaining models. In all political groups here in Parliament, Danish and Swedish colleagues have tried to get support for meaningful safeguards for our labour market models. Unfortunately, our concerns are not reflected in the committee report, so voting against the mandate today will also give us more time to find a solution.
In conclusion, give us time to find solutions by voting against the negotiating mandate.
Agnes Jongerius, rapporteur. – Mr President, today we have this meaningful vote because we are voting on the mandate to start negotiations with the Council and the Commission on decent minimum wages and strengthening collective bargaining. I speak here today also on behalf of my co-rapporteur Dennis Radtke.
The proposals of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL) will improve the lives of millions of workers in Europe. For the people who work in shops, in logistics, in cleaning and in agriculture, we can make a difference today. On the one hand, we are ensuring that statutory minimum wages must be adequate and must provide for a decent standard of living, and, on the other hand, we are strengthening the position of social partners and collective bargaining throughout Europe.
The directive is catering for the national traditions and labour market models all over Europe. We are not imposing a statutory minimum wage on any Member States. On the contrary, we have added extra safeguards for the Nordic models. Yesterday, in COREPER, they managed to find a compromise, and today I think it’s our turn. So put a plus on the report and let’s start trilogue negotiations. It’s a plus for those people who work hard and still cannot make ends meet. So, on behalf of Dennis Radtke and myself, I urge you to vote in favour.