Notre Europe's viewpoint | 19/02/2008 

The recent « Viking » and « Laval » rulings by the European Court of Justice are worrying for trade unions in Europe. In the first ruling, the Court argues that the right to "re-flag"� (in this case re-flaging Viking Line's Finnish-registered ships as Estonian in order to free itself from the terms of the collective agreement with the Finnish union), and therefore the right of the company to establish in Estonia was paramount. In the second ruling, it ruled that a Swedish trade union had no right to force a Latvian company operating in Sweden (Laval) to pay its workers a locally determined minimum wage. These rulings are illustrative of a minimalist approach, based on the notion that social protection is secondary to economic development, and should give way if perceived as slowing growth.

This vision also underpins, implicitly, the European Commission's recent consultation on "Europe's Social Reality"�, and the communication published upstream: "Opportunities, Access and Solidarity: towards a new social vision for 21st century Europe"�. This is Marjorie Jouen's key observation, in Notre Europe's contribution to the consultation, closed on 15 February 2008.

Beyond this consultation, the whole debate on the future of the Lisbon strategy, scheduled to be discussed at the next Council meeting, is likely to be influenced by this vision of social protection. Or rather, the lack thereof, as social and environmental protection are two weaknesses of the strategy. On-going EU and national consultations on the future of the strategy provide the opportunity for an open debate where, as highlighted by Marjorie Jouen, social protection is considered not just in relation to economic development, and where minimal standards and rights are improved, including in a context of social insecurity.

On another matter related to recent developments, Notre Europe publishes this month an interview conducted by Alexandre Mirlesse of Serbian architect Bogdan Bogdanovic. This is the 7th in the series of interviews conducted within the framework of our research on European identity. Following Kosovo's declaration of independence, the former Mayor of Belgrade ponders the decline of "urbanity"�, a model of peaceful coexistence between communities in former Yugoslavia. As a man deeply affected by the deflagrations of the 20th century, Bogdanovic seeks nevertheless to image a future "civilisation of cities"�. He offers a unique vision, illustrative of his whole production, somewhere between utopia and disenchantment.