Social dimension of Europe must not be in the background

The Social committee The National Council today discussed European social systems, the future of work and health issues at EU level. The occasion was a report on the EU projects in the areas of responsibility of Minister Korinna Schumann. In addition, the MPs sent an agreement with Mongolia into the plenary.

Numerous applications from the opposition parties were postponed. The FPÖ campaigned for people with disabilities, false companies and for a shopping cart for staple foods. The Greens also campaigned for people with disabilities and also called for changes to qualified health and nursing staff as well as a rapid implementation of the EU directive on platform work.

At the beginning of the session, the committee commemorated the recently deceased former MP Rainer Wimmer (SPÖ) with a grief minute.

EU project in 2025

The EU preview for 2025 for the areas of work, social affairs, health and consumer protection (III-149 d.B.) the social committee noted without the votes of the FPÖ. According to the report, there are only a few new guidelines and prescription proposals. However, there are several strategy and action plans. For example, a new action plan for the implementation of the European pillar of social rights (ESSR) and a timetable for high -quality jobs are planned. The EU Commission wants to revise several guidelines for the protection of employees: inside, such as the applicable minimum regulations for safety and health protection in workplaces, on screen work, for protection against carcinogenic fabrics and the area of ​​teleworking or the right to unavailability.

In addition, a number of legal files from previous years have continued to negotiate. In the health sector, for example, negotiations on the proposed pharmaceutical package are continued. In addition, it is about changed rules for new genetic engineering methods (NGT) and stricter requirements for animal transport.

Labor, Social and Health Minister Korinna Schumann in particular welcomed that the Commission had announced suggestions to strengthen the social union. The social dimension of Europe should not – with all the necessary focus on defense ability – should not get into the background, she emphasized.

Discussion about European social systems, the future of work and health issues

Michael Hammer (ÖVP) asked about a prescription proposal for the better coordination of the social systems, with which, among other things, the cross -border granting of unemployment benefit, family allowance and care services is to be regulated. Unfortunately, despite intensive negotiations, no agreement has been reached here, said Schumann. A withdrawal could be an option, she said. Andreas Haitzer (SPÖ) and Marie-Christine Giuliani Sterrer (FPÖ) were interested in the European social security card and the safety of the data. The “Essspass” project is fully supported by Austria, says Schumann. It is intended to facilitate individuals to perceive their social rights in another EU country. According to the minister, the data is kept according to the requirements of data protection.

Peter Wurm (FPÖ), who again emphasized his party’s critical attitude towards the EU, asked Schumann, according to her assessment, when other Member States would reach Austria. She is proud that such good welfare regulations had been achieved in Austria, said the minister. The goal must always be to develop the standards in other countries in the same direction.

In the work area, Julia Herr (SPÖ) addressed the right to unavoidability. Recovery is an important value for employees: inside, especially if they are supposed to work healthy until the statutory retirement age, said Schumann. She therefore supports the right to non -accessibility. When asked by Johannes Gasser (NEOS) about a conference on the future of work, the minister reported that the participants at this conference under Polish Council Presidency had emphasized the considerable potential of older workers. Barbara Teiber (SPÖ) asked the minister about her assessment regarding a guideline regarding European works councils. She very much welcomes the fact that the directive will soon be implemented, says Schumann.

Heike Eder (ÖVP) and Fiona Fiedler (NEOS) addressed the European disabled card and parking permit. Austria endeavors to implement the corresponding guideline on time and in the best possible way, emphasized the minister. The implementation period at the end of June 2027, with the Member States used for another year. Schumann supported a digital variant. In any case, the ID cards would also have to be spent physically, she said.

Verena Nussbaum (SPÖ) asked about the status of the negotiations on the EU pharmaceutical papacet, which is particularly concerned with the availability of medicinal products. At the beginning of June, the Council agreed on a negotiating position, said Schumann. She is committed to a rapid conclusion of the negotiations, according to the minister. In the area of ​​animal transport, Norbert Sieber (ÖVP) welcomed that EU law should be adjusted to standards that already apply in Austria. Minister Schumann also advocated the planned measures, which in her view also contribute to securing the competitiveness of Austrian agriculture.

Majority for Agreement with Mongolia

With the votes of ÖVP, SPÖ, Neos and the Greens, the social committee for the ratification of a agreement concluded with Mongolia was advised on social security (119 d.B.). The agreement aims in particular on the mutual recognition of acquired pension claims and the composition of insurance times. This is intended to ensure equal treatment of people who have spent their working life in Austria and partly in Mongolia or live in each other state.

Initiatives for people with disabilities

The FPÖ renews the demand for “wages instead of pocket money” for better social law protection of people who work in disabled workshops (280/A (e)). In addition, the freedoms are pushing for full social security including pension insurance to ensure a safe pension. The application was postponed with the votes of ÖVP, SPÖ and Neos.

The Greens also sit down with a motion for a resolution (244/A (e)) for people with disabilities. They demand that pilot projects started in the previous legislative period for personal assistance, inclusive work and to improve the situation of deaf people are taken into account. This initiative was also postponed.

The coalition parties were able to gain a bit of both applications, but referred to the missing budget when implementing “wages instead of pocket money”. In the pilot projects, in particular on personal assistance, it was first important to find concepts that fit for all federal states, said Fiona Fiedler (Neos) and Verena Nussbaum (SPÖ).

Further opposition applications are postponed

In a further, also adjacent motion for resolutions, the Greens are committed to ensuring that qualified health and nursing staff are recognized as independent health service providers: inside within the meaning of the General Social Insurance Act (ASVG) (328/A (e)). At the same time, certain nursing services such as wound management should be included in the service catalog of social security institutions and those affected are involved in existing supply structures such as ELGA, explained Ralph Schallmeiner (Greens).

From the point of view of the freedom, strict laws and a strict execution are needed to take action against bogus companies and the associated social fraud. They therefore request a government template with which some prerequisites for repeat offenders or determinants in the area of ​​the bogus entrepreneur are to be tightened (356/A (e)). The application was postponed. The coalition said that the corresponding legal foundations existed. In the government program, measures for better accuracy of the controls are also provided. In addition, a fraud control package is in the works.

The Greens took the masses known in mid-March to push the Greens as an opportunity to push for a rapid implementation of an EU directive for platform work (166/A (e)). The guideline is intended to improve the working conditions of people in platform work. Using amendment application, they wanted to take into account the now changed responsibilities of the ministers mentioned in the committee. Bettina Zopf (ÖVP) justified the adjoining by the fact that there was still enough time for the implementation of the directive. Markus Koza (Greens), on the other hand, considers them to be urgent, not least because of the dismissals at Lieferando. In order to counter this specific event, it is not necessary to implement the entire guideline, said Johannes Gasser (NEOS). Discussions would go, as well as committee chairman Josef Muchitsch (SPÖ).

In order to increase price transparency, the FPÖ speaks out for the introduction of a nationwide shopping cart for staple foods (355/A (e)). This is intended to regularly record prices of food from everyday needs such as bread, milk, eggs, flour, rice, fruit, vegetables and “simple” meat and fish products. Markus Koza (Greens) and Norbert Sieber (ÖVP) explained that price changes in the area mentioned have been recorded with the microwar basket of the statistics Austria for years. The application was postponed. (Continued Social Committee) Kar


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