B3-0123/94

Resolution on the proposal for a directive on the protection of young people at work

The European Parliament,

-having regard to Parliament's opinion adopted at first reading on the proposal for a directive on the protection of young people at work;

-having regard to the common position adopted by the Council with a view to adopting a directive on the protection of young people at work (C3-0504/93):

-having regard to the opinion of the International Labour Office;

-having regard to the social protocol adopted at Maastricht;

1.Condemns the United Kingdom for seeking derogations concerning the protection of not only adolescents but also children;

2.Calls on the Commission to support the position of the European Parliament adopted at first reading which does not allow any derogations in this area and which would thus require that Council find unanimity in order to overturn the position of the majority of Member States;

3.Calls on the Greek Presidency to use the qualified majority vote provisions under Article 118a of the EC Treaty (legal base of this proposal) in order to deny the United Kingdom these specific derogations;

4.Draws attention to the position of the United Kingdom in the adoption of social legislation at European Union level where their strategy has been to procrastinate and water down minimum standards and then not vote for the position arrived at;

5.Calls on the Commission, both in this and future proposals for legislation under Article 118a, to respect at least established international norms, and calls on the European Union in future not to accept provisions which fall below conventions of the ILO, the Council of Europe and other related conventions;

6.Calls on the Commission in future to use the procedures adopted at Maastricht to implement social policy rather than to continue to accept the gradual erosion tactics of the United Kingdom;

7.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, the Council, the Economic and Social Committee, the Council of Europe, the ETUC, UNICE and the ILO.