Cypriot Minister: Mobility inseparable part of EU employment policy

An EU policy on mobility should be inseparable part of the general employment policy of the member-states and should be accompanied by measures on a national, EU and bilateral level, Cypriot Minister of Labour and Social Insurance Sotiroulla Charalambous has said.

She was addressing the informal meeting of Ministers for Employment and Social Affairs in Luhacovice, from 22 to 24 January organized by the Czech Presidency of the EU, which focused mainly on professional mobility.

According to Charalambous, the promotion of a balanced policy which would advance both mobility and social integration constitutes the biggest challenge for the EU and its member-states.

The Ministers discussed, during a working lunch, the EU directive on working time, which was rejected last December by the European Parliament, which approved a series of amendments including the opt-out clause allowing employees to work more than 48 hours per week.

Speaking during the discussion, Charalambous reiterated Cyprus' position that a solution which will not clearly provide for the abolition the opt-out clause cannot be accepted.

She also added that the Council should take seriously into account the consultation procedure with the European Parliament, the majority of which voted for the proposed amendments to the directive.

The Council, she said, must consider the need to protect the social dimension of Europe, in the wake of the global financial crisis.