Media release

Investing in a Europe based on solidarity: European Workers representatives meet in Riga

   
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27 March 2015

The Workers' Group of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) will hold an extraordinary meeting on the building of a solidarity-driven Europe at the National Library of Latvia. The meeting is organised in cooperation with the Free Trade Union Confederation of Latvia (LBAS).

Featuring Georges Dassis, President of the EESC Workers' Group, and Laimdota Straujuma, Prime Minister of Latvia, the day will be dedicated to examine the "Investment Plan for Europe" of 315 billion euros, proposed by the Juncker Commission and ways to concretely achieve its main goal: the creation of sustainable jobs. The conference will review the Latvian Presidency priorities and discuss the involvement of social partners in the European economic governance, with the presentation of two studies on the Latvian situation in this field.

Concrete solutions do exist to fight poverty, to ensure that all Europeans have access to affordable and reliable healthcare, as well as efficient social services across the EU Member States, and to achieve an Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) firmly grounded on social dialogue. The EESC has put forward many detailed proposals in its opinions on the setting up of a minimum income for workers at European level, as well as on the organisation of social dialogue in EU's economic governance. 

2015 03 27 EESC

In the conference following speakers will take part:

Georges Dassis, President of the EESC Workers' Group, Greek General Confederation of Labour (GSEE)

Uldis Augulis, Latvian Minister for Welfare

Aija Barča, Member of the Parliament of Latvia, Chairperson of the Social and Employment Committee

Steven Tobin, Senior Economist of the ILO Research Department Debate

Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica, Parliamentary State Secretary for EU Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Armands Krauze, Member of the Parliament of Latvia, Deputy Chairman of the European Affairs Committee

Pēteris Krīgers, President of Free Trade Union Confederation of Latvia (LBAS), Member of Group II - EESC

Vitālijs Gavrilovs, President of Employers’ Confederation of Latvia (LDDK), Member of Group I - EESC

Andris Gobiņš, President of the European Movement in Latvia, Member of Group III - EESC

Józef Niemiec, Deputy General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC)

Jacek Krawczyk, Employers' Group President (Group I)

Raita Karnīte, Director of the Economic Prognosis Centre of Latvia, presenter of the two studies

Twitter hashtag to follow the debate: #GR2riga

@WorkersEESC, @EU_EESC, @EESC_PRESS

Extraordinary meeting of Workers' Group (Gr II) of European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) eu2015.lv
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