Ahead of the adoption of his draft opinion on a 'European pillar of social rights' by the October CoR plenary session, we spoke with PES rapporteur Heinz-Joachim Höfer, Mayor of Altenkirchen (Germany).
The debate on a future European Pillar of Social Rights is very timely because it comes after a long economic and financial crisis with disastrous social repercussions, which have put into question the credibility of the EU. Why do you consider that local and regional authorities must have a say in the elaboration of such a pillar?
Living and working conditions as well as welfare systems are essential requirements for peaceful co-existence in Europe. They have a direct impact on each and every citizen and resident. Upsets to the system create conflict and tensions in society which are felt in our municipalities, towns and regions.
The countries of the Euro area have been focusing almost exclusively on financial concerns in the last few years of the financial crisis. As a result, austerity policies have led to a massive deterioration in living and working conditions in many domains, which ordinary citizens, who are those most affected, often do not accept because they themselves have not caused, nor benefited from, these distortions. Although the European Parliament and the European Commission warned against making cutbacks too severe, the course of action followed by the Troika has come across as “instructed by Brussels”. As a result, people see the EU as a whole in a bad light.
It is the task of local and regional authorities to counteract this way of looking at things and the concomitant tensions. Logically speaking, these authorities’ views also have to be heard when the social basis of people's livelihoods is being formulated, so that their local and practical knowledge can feed into the discussions.
How can such a pillar apply throughout the Eurozone since there are striking economic and social divergences amongst Eurozone Member States?
The Committee of the Regions would stress the validity of the subsidiarity principle in matters pertaining to social regulations. This means that individual Member States can work out solutions in keeping with their traditions and capacities. It is not about raising everyone to the same, high level. That would be asking too much of some Member States. On the other hand, however, the consensus that needs to be found should not be based on a low-level, static minimum standard, but should aim at gradual and continued development at each individual national level.
This approach ensures on the one hand that the basic principles apply to everyone and enables on the other individual countries to achieve the desired improvements.
Public consultation has revealed that a feeling of being dealt with unfairly is a key reason behind the widespread scepticism vis-a-vis national governments and the EU.
If people have the impression that it is important for the EU and the Euro area to remedy injustices, then they will accept the application of general rules across the Euro area and at the same time recognise differences between countries.
