WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1686/98 by Kirsi PIHA to the Commission. Position of business organizations in social dialogue
5. 2. 1999 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 31/69 after the campaign has been carried out; the audit is based on documents provided by the party concerned, namely an activity report, a report on the financial implementation of the projects, an analysis of any discrepancies between the actual and estimated budget and the list of all accounting documents connected with the projects; (2) audit of documents from sample files and from all files which require particular attention or involve a certain element of risk; (3) on-the-spot audit of sample cases or cases in which the two preceding stages suggest the need for it. For campaigns undertaken in cooperation with the Member States, there are also all the audit procedures inherent in each Member State¢s own national rules on the management of public funds. Furthermore, in those Member States with which agreements have been concluded, a coordination unit made up of representatives of the Member State, the Commission and the Parliament meets regularly to coordinate and monitor the euro information campaigns. Parliament is involved in drawing up the broad guidelines for the programme in an informal advisory group. (1) COM(98) 39 final. (1999/C 31/091) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1686/98 by Kirsi Piha (PPE) to the Commission (29 May 1998) Subject: Position of business organizations in social dialogue Representatives of workers and employersí organizations participate, in a spirit of dialogue, in the formation of EU social legislation. With regard to employment in Europe, however, small and medium-sized enterprises have a key position and their point of view on the reform of employment legislation is therefore an important one, though one which is often neglected. It is particularly short-sighted to adopt legislation which is likely to make it more difficult for firms to create jobs. How does the Commission intend to ensure that European business organizations are regarded in future as a fourth full partner in the dialogue? Answer given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission (23 July 1998) All organisations listed in Annex I of the Commission communication Adapting and promoting the social dialogue at European levelí (1), have a full right to participate in the main fields of social dialogue: information, consultation and negotiation. As for participation in the standing committee on employment, the Commission has suggested to the Council that it extends participation to the Union of Industrial and Employers Confederations of Europe (UNICE), Conseil europØen des entreprises publiques (CEEP), European Union of Crafts and small and medium-sized entreprises (UEAPME), ComitØ intersyndical des organisations professionnelles du personnel agricole (COPA), EUROCOMMERCE, European trade union confederation (ETUC) and Centre europØen du Commerce (CEC) in order to have a political dialogue with the appropriate level of participants. Among the 29 organisations which fulfil the necessary representativeness criteria, there are several representing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), including UEAPME, UNICE, EUROCOMMERCE and COPA. All these organisations have the possibility to enter into negotiations inside or outside the framework of the agreement on social policy (ASP) annexed to the EC Treaty. The Commission emphasises in the new communication the need to respect the autonomy of the social partners in their choice of negotiating partner and it cannot therefore force anybody to the negotiating table. This approach has recently been confirmed by the Court of first instance in its judgement of 17 July 1998 in case T-135/96, dismissing a legal challenge against the parental leave directive negotiated and adopted under the ASP process. In the above-mentioned communication, however, the Commission has again urged the social partners to find a compromise in order to ensure the best possible representativeness of European agreements. The Commission is well aware of the importance of SMEs for employment and their role in job creation. Their specific concerns and the opportunities they provide must be taken into account. (1) COM(98) 322