
United in social policy diversity
BDA puts forward twelve European policy demands for the new legislative period.
CH – 09/2019
The
Confederation of German Employers’ Associations (BDA) is the umbrella
association representing the social and economic interests of employers in
Germany. Representatives of insured workers and employers are members of the self-governing
committees of the social insurance system.
The
BDA has now compiled employers’ demands for 2019-2024 in a position paper (German only). In it, the BDA acknowledges the social market economy and the
European internal market. One particular concern is to further develop the economic
and monetary union through stronger coordination of economic policy, reduction
of bureaucracy and free global trade with a stable legal framework. Education
and immigration must be addressed as part of combating the shortage of skilled
workers. The digitalisation of the labour market is leading to changes in
organisational and work structures. As such, it is important to have an
adaptable and flexible application of the European Working Time Directive.
There
are also proposals in the field of social security. This should remain the
responsibility of the Member States with regard to labour and social policy. The
BDA therefore opposes the European unemployment insurance system and a move
away from the unanimity principle for social policy in the Council. The latter
is in line with the position (German only) taken
by the German Social Insurance on this issue.
The
BDA is calling for a reduction of bureaucratic obstacles which, in practice,
make the posting of workers more difficult. All judgments of the European Court
of Justice on the restrictive conditions for access to the social systems of
other Member States should also be incorporated into EU legislation. Where
child benefits are paid to EU citizens, the amount of the child benefit should
be adjusted to the cost of living in the child’s country of residence.