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1 EFFE (effe-homecare.eu), 38-40 square de Meeus, 1000 Bruxelles Contact: Grégoire VIVET, Policy Officer, +33 6 26 11 63 42
FEDERATION
EUROPEENNE
DES EMPLOIS
DE LA FAMILLE
SUMMARY DECEMBER 2018
EUROPEAN POLITICAL FRAMEWORK
1. SPAIN: Far-right party wins seats in Regional Parliament of Andalusia
2. EUROPEAN ELECTIONS: Frans Timmermans to run for Presidency of European Commission for
Socialists & Democrats (S&D) political group
3. BREXIT: Theresa May’s twists and turns just 3 months before scheduled UK exit from the EU
4. EMPLOYMENT: European Parliament seeks to facilitate job research in foreign Member States for
EU citizens
5. EUROPEAN CITIZEN INITIATIVE: One more step towards reform of EU democratic initiative
6. BELGIUM: Liberal PM Charles Michel resigns
7. ITALY: Government escapes EU financial sanctions after compromising with the Commission
SOCIAL EUROPE
8. DISABLED WORKERS: A glance back on European Day of Persons with Disabilities last Dec. 3rd
and 4th in Brussels
9. EUROPEAN LABOUR AUTHORITY: Disagreements over future organisation’s scope of action
10. WORK LIFE BALANCE: Negotiations bump into Council’s reluctances
11. SOCIAL PROTECTION: Member States vote for Council recommendation for an easier access to
social protection for employers and self-employed
12. OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH: European Parliament votes new rules against cancer-
inducing substances
13. EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE: Calling for new scope of action for new
legislature
14. DOMESTIC TAXES: According to Assindatcolf, €3B tax revenues escape Italian authorities every
year
EU FUNDS
15. 2019 BUDGET: Last 2014-2019 budget voted in plenary session
16. 2021-2027 MULTIANNUAL FINANCIAL FRAMEWORK: Negotiations postponed until Fall 2019
EU AGENDA
APPOINTMENTS
2 EFFE (effe-homecare.eu), 38-40 square de Meeus, 1000 Bruxelles Contact: Grégoire VIVET, Policy Officer, +33 6 26 11 63 42
EUROPEAN POLITICAL FRAMEWORK
1. SPAIN: Far-right party wins seats in Regional Parliament of Andalusia
The regional elections held on December 2 to re-elect Andalusia Parliament allowed the far-
right party Vox to break through with 12 seats won. This is a first since the end of the Franco
dictatorship in 1975.
Spain, currently ruled by the Socialist Party under Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, was a bastion
of the left in a Western Europe crossed by the rise of many nationalist and populist political
movements. The Prime Minister is expected to call new Spanish parliamentary elections after
the European elections in May 2019.
2. EUROPEAN ELECTIONS: Frans Timmermans to run for Presidency of European
Commission for Socialists & Democrats (S&D) political group
Frans Timmermans, current first Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of the
Improvement of Legislation, Inter-Institutional Relations, the Rule of Law and the Charter of
Fundamental Rights, was inducted as candidate of the Party of European Socialists on 8
December, in Lisbon, at a congress gathering all parties of the same political persuasion on a
European scale. In the event of a majority obtained by S&D during the May 2019 election, Mr.
Timmermans would succeed Jean-Claude Juncker as President of the European executive.
The Dutchman is supported by many European political leaders, including Prime Ministers of
Portugal, Spain and Malta Antonio Costa, Pedro Sanchez and Joseph Muscat.
Note that at the other end of the political spectrum, Jordan Bardella, 23 years old, was
invested by Marine Le Pen to lead the list of the National Rally, affiliated to the Europe of
Nations and Liberties (ENL), for France.
3. BREXIT: Theresa May’s twists and turns just 3 months before scheduled UK exit from the
EU
The British Prime Minister made a U-turn on December 10, announcing a postponement
indefinitely of the vote scheduled the next day. British parliamentarians were called to vote
on December 11 about the exit agreement of the United Kingdom of the European Union,
negotiated for 17 months with Brussels. A negative vote was to be feared because of the very
strong opposition it arouses in a majority of deputies, regardless of their political color.
The Prime Minister also expressed the wish to renegotiate the agreement with the European
institutions. All European leaders have opposed any retrogression on the procedure for the
exit of Great Britain, whether it is Jean-Claude Juncker before the European Parliament
plenary in Strasbourg or Donald Tusk from Brussels.
Theresa May finally announced at the end of the Brussels European Council of 13 and 14
December that the vote in the House of Commons will take place the week of January 14,
2019. The debates on the withdrawal agreement will begin the week of January 7 and the
vote will take place the following week. The European Commission has immediately provided
itself against the risk of a No deal Brexit by publishing 14 technical measures which shall be
submitted to both Parliament and Council examination.
To recall that the Court of Justice of the European Union had formulated, in a judgment
delivered on December 10, that the United Kingdom could decide alone to give up leaving
the European Union, without needing the approval of the other States members.
3 EFFE (effe-homecare.eu), 38-40 square de Meeus, 1000 Bruxelles Contact: Grégoire VIVET, Policy Officer, +33 6 26 11 63 42
BREXIT : NEXT STEPS
Week of Jan. 14th,
2019
British Parliament voting on withdrawal agreement
March 2019 European Parliament ratifying vote on withdrawal agreement
Mar. 29, 2019 The UK officially leaves the EU. It remains however a member of Customs
Union and Inner Market. The transition period starts.
Dec. 31, 2020 End of transition period. The UK officially becomes a third State to the EU.
4. EMPLOYMENT: European Parliament seeks to facilitate job research in foreign Member
States for EU citizens
Job seekers will find it easier to look for work in another Member State, thanks to the
coordination of social security systems in Europe. So far, a French citizen wishing to find a job
in another Member State could only receive his unemployment benefits for three months.
With the adoption on 11 December in Strasbourg of the report on the coordination of social
security systems, MEPs extended this period of portability of rights to six months.
This extension may even be extended beyond six months by the Member States to the entire
period of unemployment rights. While the provision serves the mobility of jobseekers in the EU,
it has been challenged by a section of the European right, denouncing a possible windfall
effect for the unemployed.
Indeed, a Frenchman looking for work in a European country where the cost of living is
cheaper would be better off than a Frenchman looking for a job in France.
5. EUROPEAN CITIZEN INITIATIVE: One more step towards reform of EU democratic
initiative
The fourth round of inter-institutional negotiations on the reform of the European Citizens'
Initiative (ECI) led to an agreement between the European Parliament and the EU Council on
12 December.
The fourth and final meeting thus resolved the most controversial issue: lowering the minimum
age of signatures for an ECI to 16 years.
Supported by both the rapporteur and the Commission, this proposal was met with
reluctance by some Member States, in particular because they feared being forced by the
Treaty on European Union (TEU) to lower the minimum age for voting in European elections.
The inter-institutional compromise reached puts no obligations on Member States, allowing
only those who so wish to lower the minimum age of signatures for ECIs.
The institutions also agreed to allow individual ECI collection systems for signatures to continue
until the Commission sets up a centralized system in 2020. The other main changes to
Regulation 211/2011 on the citizens' initiative are:
- the possibility of "partial registration" of an ECI whose proposals do not fall entirely
within European competence;
- the extension to 6 months (instead of 3) of the deadline for organizers to launch their
support campaign after registration of their ECI;
- the creation of "contact points" in the Member States and an online collaborative
platform;
4 EFFE (effe-homecare.eu), 38-40 square de Meeus, 1000 Bruxelles Contact: Grégoire VIVET, Policy Officer, +33 6 26 11 63 42
- the possibility for a European citizen to support an ECI regardless of where they live.
The agreement now needs to be validated by the Parliament’s Committee on Constitutional
Affairs (AFCO) in January and then in plenary session in March.
6. BELGIUM: Liberal PM Charles Michel resigns
Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel announced on 18 December the resignation of his
center-right government. At the head of a majority-right coalition, the resignation of the five
nationalist ministers on 9 December has endangered the head of the government, faced
with a lack of majority at the time of the vote of the 2019 budget by the Chamber of
Deputies.
The resignation of the Prime Minister comes a few months ahead of the next Belgian
legislative elections scheduled for May 26, 2019, the same day as the elections for the
European Parliament.
7. ITALY: Government escapes EU financial sanctions after compromising with the
Commission
After several weeks of heated debate, the European Commission announced on 19
December that it had reached an agreement with the Italian government to avoid the
opening of an excessive deficit procedure. The latter agrees to limit spending planned for
2019 - including postponing the pension reform and citizenship income. This makes it possible
to avoid any deterioration of the structural deficit. "The solutions found are not ideal, but likely
to avoid the procedure for excessive deficit as long as Italy sticks to accepted measures,"
said Valdis Dombrovskis, Vice President of the European Commission.
SOCIAL EUROPE
8. DISABLED WORKERS: A glance back on European Day of Persons with Disabilities last
Dec. 3rd and 4th in Brussels
More than 80 million people in the European Union (EU) have more or less a disability. The
accessibility of products and services is a prerequisite for their equal and active participation
in society. It also contributes to smart, sustainable and inclusive growth.
In 2011, the EU ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).
The convention addresses disability from a human rights perspective rather than a medical or
charitable point of view. It encompasses civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights as
well as a large number of fields of action: justice, transport, employment, information
technologies, etc. All EU Member States have signed and ratified the Convention.
At EU level, steps have been taken with the proposed European legislative act on
accessibility. The inclusion of people with disabilities in our society and our economy is also a
key principle of the European Pillar of Social Rights.
The annual conference of the European Day of Persons with Disabilities saw the city of Breda
(Netherlands) win the Access City Award 2018, an award that distinguishes each year a city
that has made efforts to become more accessible to its citizens.
9. EUROPEAN LABOUR AUTHORITY: Disagreements over future organisation’s scope of
action
5 EFFE (effe-homecare.eu), 38-40 square de Meeus, 1000 Bruxelles Contact: Grégoire VIVET, Policy Officer, +33 6 26 11 63 42
The Ministers of Social Affairs of the 28 Member States reached the EPSCO Council on 6
December to outline the future European Labor Authority and the access of employed and
self-employed workers to social protection throughout the Union. With a view to better
cooperation and information on the rights and obligations of workers and employers in
occupational mobility, the Council hopes to reach a bilateral agreement with Parliament by
30 June 2019.
With regard to the social security coverage of workers, the Council is committed to improving
the transferability and transparency of rights to any change of employment. Progress
achieved will be analyzed in the context of the European Semester. In addition, Slovakia,
Latvia and Cyprus have each applied to host the seat of the future Authority.
The conclusions adopted at the end of the EPSCO Council of 6 December considerably
weaken the role of the Authority currently being set up, notably by making its intervention
capacity optional. Member States shall have the right to request the services of the Authority
on a voluntary basis for joint inspections or for the settlement of a dispute.
In addition, the majority of delegations agreed to exclude social security mediation from its
area of competence, as well as to change its name from "Authority" to "Agency".
Negotiations between Parliament and the Council are scheduled to start on 8 January, as
Romania begins its six-month presidency of the EU Council. Numerous disagreements are to
be expected, especially since MEPs have recently adopted a position close to that of the
Commission.
10. WORK LIFE BALANCE: Negotiations bump into Council’s reluctances
QUICK REMINDER
The creation of a European Labor Authority (ELA) was announced by Jean-Claude
Juncker in his State of the Union address in September 2017 to provide a regulatory
framework for an expanded and increasingly flexible European labor market. As part of
the European Pillar of Social Rights (EPSR) this Authority, endowed with an average €50
million yearly budget will facilitate access to employment and inform workers of their rights
according to the legislation in force.
QUICK REMINDER 1. The "work-life balance" directive proposes that each parent, at the birth of a child,
be entitled to four months of paid leave up to the level of sickness benefits. France
strongly opposes it.
2. COREPER on 13 June, 2018, bringing together the permanent representatives of
the EU, left two political points unresolved:
- Transferability between the father and mother of parental leave
- Compensation arrangements and vacation periods
3. At the EPSCO on 21 June, 2018 EU Member States agreed on non-transferable
paid parental leave with pay set at an "adequate" level of a month and a half.
Unsurprisingly, the Directive has been considerably watered down by the Member
States.
4. On July 11, 2018 MEPs from the EMPL Committee voted on David Casa's report
with a level of paid paternity leave at 80% of gross salary and 78% for parental
and care leave.
6 EFFE (effe-homecare.eu), 38-40 square de Meeus, 1000 Bruxelles Contact: Grégoire VIVET, Policy Officer, +33 6 26 11 63 42
The inter-institutional negotiations on the Directive on the balance of personal and
professional life came to a dead-end after last meeting of EU ministers for Social Affairs last 6
December. The Austrian Presidency of the Council has failed to renew its mandate to
advance negotiations with Parliament. The blockage comes from Germany, which wants to
maintain a very advantageous legislation on parental leave despite the absence of leave
specifically dedicated to fathers. A solution would therefore be for the negotiators to insert a
derogation clause for Germany in the legislative text, at the risk of arousing the disagreement
of several other member states. The Parliament, reminded the Council that no agreement will
be possible on a text that would guarantee a minimum period of leave but no minimum
threshold of financial compensation. It should also be remembered that the Parliament itself
decided in favor of a guaranteed minimum income of 80% of the monthly salary for any care
leave (parental or carer).
Romania, which will take over the rotating presidency of the EU Council on 1 January, has
already placed its six-monthly work under the auspices of a Europe of convergence, with a
greater standardization of framework of labor and social rights at European Union level.
11. SOCIAL PROTECTION: Member States vote for recommendation for easier access to
social protection for workers and self-employed
The EPSCO Council of 6 December has adopted a watered down version of the
recommendations on access to social protection for employees and self-entrepreneurs. This
new version focuses on the voluntary aspect of integrating social security recommendations.
Most of the discussions focused on occupational risk coverage. The text recommends that
Member States each ensure the viability and adequacy of health coverage systems for their
respective workers. This leads to a sufficiently high health coverage and paid within
reasonable time to ensure decent living conditions, an adequate salary evolution and avoid
them to fall into poverty.
The Austrian Presidency of the Council specified that the measures would be taken in
accordance with the national circumstances of each Member State, after a vote of blocking
by Hungary due to a mistrust of the Hungarian Government vis-à-vis a potential interpretation
that the CJEU could make these recommendations.
As a reminder, the Commission's approach aimed to provide a stronger framework for labor
market developments and the growing number of "non-standard" workers in order to ensure
adequate social protection for all European workers in their country origin or in another
Member State. Home workers are included in the provisions of the recommendation.
Full text of the recommendation of the Council to the Commission on access to social
protection for workers and self-employed persons, 13 March 2018
WHAT YOU MUST REMEMBER
As part of the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights, the European
Commission has adopted a proposal for a Council Recommendation on access to social
protection for employed and self-employed workers. Following the proposal, the
Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council approved a
recommendation on 6 December 2018. This proposal aims to support workers in atypical or
independent jobs who, because of their professional status, are not sufficiently covered by
social security schemes and therefore face greater economic uncertainty.
7 EFFE (effe-homecare.eu), 38-40 square de Meeus, 1000 Bruxelles Contact: Grégoire VIVET, Policy Officer, +33 6 26 11 63 42
12. OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH: European Parliament votes new rules against
cancer-inducing substances
MEPs updated in plenary on 11 December the EU rules to protect workers from exposure to
carcinogens and mutagens.
In order to protect the 3.6 million or so European workers potentially exposed to diesel exhaust
emissions, Parliament has managed to include these exhaust gases in the scope of the new
rules and to put in place a corresponding limit exposure value.
The new provisions set the limit exposure values (the maximum quantity of substance
tolerated in the workplace atmosphere) and skin observations (the possibility of significant
absorption via the skin) for eight additional carcinogenic substances (including diesel engine
exhaust). The new rules will reduce the risk of workers contracting cancer, a disease that
remains the leading cause of work-related mortality in the EU.
Eight new substances considered carcinogenic, such as trichlorethylene or epichlorohydrin,
are added to the list. The final text was adopted by 585 votes in favor, 46 against and 35
abstentions.
13. EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE: Calling for new scope of action for
new legislature
On the sidelines of its plenary session in Brussels, on 12 and 13 December, the European
Economic and Social Committee (EESC) briefed the press on the ideas it would like to see
resumed by decision-makers and candidates on the eve of May 2019.
Its 350 members render more than 150 advisory opinions a year, on draft European legislation,
at the request of institutions seeking expertise in a particular field, or on their own on topics
that seem important to them. But this body, which was created in 1957 to "bridge" between
civil society and the European institutions, has no decision-making power.
Sustainable development is particularly at the heart of the Committee's struggles, which show
far more ambitious objectives than the governments and the European institutions in the fight
against global warming, and would like this theme to be "at the top of the agenda of the
political agenda. It is for example on the basis of one of its opinions that the European
Parliament has recently passed a resolution on planned obsolescence.
The EESC has also created a platform to promote the circular economy. On the social side,
he also spoke about the possibility of having a European minimum income, and created a
group dedicated to artificial intelligence.
AS A REMINDER
The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) is an advisory platform composed
of representatives of employers 'and workers' organizations as well as other civil society
organizations. EESC is a bridge between Europe and organized civil society. It enables civil
society organizations in the Member States to express their views at European level.
The committee's advisers are divided into three groups:
- Employers 'Group - GROUP I: They are entrepreneurs or representatives of entrepreneurs'
associations from industry, trade, services and agriculture in the countries of the European
Union;
- Workers 'Group - GROUP II: The Workers' Group is composed of representatives of
national trade union organizations, confederations and branch federations.
- Group "Diversity Europe" - GROUP III: Farmers, consumers, social economy, artisans, SMEs,
social and environmental NGOs, liberal professions etc.
8 EFFE (effe-homecare.eu), 38-40 square de Meeus, 1000 Bruxelles Contact: Grégoire VIVET, Policy Officer, +33 6 26 11 63 42
On immigration, the EESC also calls on leaders to "rebalance their agenda" to "look into real
systemic changes": "immigration cannot be summarized to an illicit issue and a case of
controls in the Mediterranean" says Luca Jahier, President of the Committee, recalling that
aging Europe needed workforce to preserve its social model.
14. DOMESTIC TAX: According to Assindatcolf, €3B tax revenues escape Italian authorities
every year
Assindatcolf presented an important report focusing on irregular domestic work in Italian
homes.
Every year in Italy over 3 billion euro never makes it to the coffers of the State as a result of
yes, undeclared domestic work, but not only. This is what emerges from "Irregular Domestic
Work: How Much is the State Losing " the report presented by the Italian association of
domestic employers and workers, Assindatcolf, during a conference that took place in the
Chamber of Deputies last December 7th.
According to the data presented by Assindatcolf, 6 out of 10 domestic workers in Italy work in
Italian homes without a regular employment contract. A small 'army' of 1.2 million working
under the table, without rights but also without duties, able to generate a considerable 'hole'
in the coffers of the state: 600 million euros of undeclared income (Irpef) and 1.8 billion of
unpaid social security contributions (INPS). But if, to the impact of irregular workers, we also
consider that accountable to the “smart” regular workers who do not submit their tax returns
or who declare less hours than those they actually get paid for, the total assessment in lost tax
revenue rounds up to roughly 3.1 billion euros a year.
As for the economic dimension of the sector, Assindatcolf calculated the annual turnover
generated by domestic work at 19 billion (1.25% of GDP), of which 10.3 billion deriving from
undeclared work and 8.8 billion euro from regular work.
"These are significant numbers - observes Alessandro Lupi, vice president of Assindatcolf –
nonetheless they have not been taken into sufficient account by the government. Reversing
the route has become crucial: both to help families most likely evade out of necessity but
also to create a system that, in an increasingly aging society, can become a real social and
economic engine ".
"The keystone - adds Andrea Zini, vice president of Assindatcolf - is to make regular work less
expensive than irregular work, as would be the case if the cost of domestic work was totally
deductable. While waiting for the Government to play its part, our association is working with
its social partners in order to define, by 2019, a specific protection system, long term care or
supplementary health care, dedicated to families who employ domestic workers".
EU FUNDS
15. 2019 BUDGET: Last 2014-2019 budget voted in plenary session
For the next annual budget, MEPs gained increased support for students, unemployed youth
and researchers.
Commitment appropriations for 2019 total € 165.8 billion; payment appropriations totaled
€148.2 billion.
After the formal adoption by the Council on 7 December of the conciliation agreement with
the Parliament on the 2019 budget, the Parliament adopted on Wednesday the budget with
451 votes in favor, 142 against and 78 abstentions. It was signed in the wake of the President
of the EP, Antonio Tajani.
9 EFFE (effe-homecare.eu), 38-40 square de Meeus, 1000 Bruxelles Contact: Grégoire VIVET, Policy Officer, +33 6 26 11 63 42
As some actions have to be deployed over a period of several years (e.g. funding for a two-
or three-year research project), the EU budget distinguishes between commitment
appropriations (the cost of all legal obligations incurred during the period). current financial
year, which may have consequences for subsequent years) and payment appropriations
(the money actually spent in the current year, sometimes to implement commitments made
in previous years).
16. 2021-2027 MULTIANNUAL FINANCIAL FRAMEWORK: Negotiations postponed until Fall
2019
The European Council of 13 and 14 December has managed both to have a more in-depth
exchange of views on the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2021-2027 which sets the
budget of the European Union for a 7-year amount of time but also to give a outlines progress
made in implementing the European Council conclusions on the different themes of the
budget, the single market, migration and external relations.
Proposed on 2 May 2018 by the European Commission, the EU's long-term budget (2021-2027)
will be a debate of the 27 Member States. As the MFF sets the annual amounts that can be
spent in the different EU policy areas, the 27 will be asked to prioritize and allow the EU to
ensure stability and prosperity in an unstable world.
The reflections will also concern EU investments in the fields of research and innovation, the
digital economy, defense and border management. The debate will also concern the serious
deficit created by Brexit, and there will also be talk of the European Commission's proposal to
increase funding for the environment and climate.
This proposal undoubtedly responds to the recommendations of the Katowice Climate
Conference (COP24) in Poland, including strengthening the climate action of local
communities and indigenous peoples.
The 27 will also deal with the Commission's proposal to amend the current EU Regulation
laying down the Multiannual Financial Framework for the period 2021-2027, or even the draft
inter institutional agreement on cooperation in budgetary matters and good management.
Discussions will also focus on the objectives achieved or not by the EU on its Common Foreign
and Security Policy (CFSP), its external development policy and that of human rights.
10 EFFE (effe-homecare.eu), 38-40 square de Meeus, 1000 Bruxelles Contact: Grégoire VIVET, Policy Officer, +33 6 26 11 63 42
EU AGENDA
JANUARY 2019 FEBRUARY 2019 MARCH 2019
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
14 - 17 – Plenary session in Strasbourg
10, 23 & 24, 28 & 29 – EMPL committee
meetings
EU COUNCIL
1st – Beginning of Romanian Presidency
of EU Council
EUROPEAN UNION
14 – British Parliament vote over Brexit
EFFE
9 & 10 – Ad-PHS launching in Brussels
22 – Joint EFFE/FEPEM New Year wishes
in Paris
28 & 29 – PRODOME Policy visit in
Bologna
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
11 to 14 – Plenary session in Strasbourg
EFFE
18 to 22 – PRODOME meeting in Rome
26 – White Paper official introduction in
Brussels
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
11 to 14 – Plenary session in Strasbourg,
vote on Brexit
25 to 28 – Plenary session in Strasbourg
EU COUNCIL
15 – EPSCO Council in Brussels
21 & 22 – European Council
EUROPEAN UNION
29 – Official exit of the UK from EU
APRIL 2019 MAY 2019 JUNE 2019
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
15 to 18 – Plenary session in Strasbourg
18 – End of 8th legislature working
period
EFFE
4 – General assembly in Brussels
EUROPEAN UNION
9 – Europe Day 2019
23 to 26 – European elections 2019
COUNCIL
13 – EPSCO Council in Brussels
20 & 21 – European Council
11 EFFE (effe-homecare.eu), 38-40 square de Meeus, 1000 Bruxelles Contact: Grégoire VIVET, Policy Officer, +33 6 26 11 63 42
APPOINTMENTS
GERMANY
Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer succeeds Angela Merkel as head of the German
Christian Democrat Union (CDU). The one who until now was general secretary of the
political party wins the victory against Friedrich Merz. Ms. Kramp-Karrenbauer, or "AKK"
as the German press nicknamed, is the representative of a rather social wing of the
political party, and is particularly committed to the question of the minimum wage,
voted in September 2015 at the federal.
EUROPEAN COMMISSION
Two new Heads of Representation will take office in the first half of 2019: Didier Herbert
will represent the European Executive in The Hague (Netherlands) from 1 February
2019, Antti Ilmari Peltomäki in Helsinki (Finland) from April 1st.
12 EFFE (effe-homecare.eu), 38-40 square de Meeus, 1000 Bruxelles Contact: Grégoire VIVET, Policy Officer, +33 6 26 11 63 42
About EFFE Created in 2012, the European Federation for Family Employment (EFFE) chaired by Marie
Béatrice Levaux is based on the principles of: free choice of lifestyle and support of citizens in
their homes; respect for the private home; social and citizen responsibility.
The EFFE (www.effe-homecare.eu) promotes and defends home-based employment within
the European institutions: it is committed to bringing a model of social innovation to the
service of European citizens through the services and jobs of the family at home, relaying the
EU 2020 strategy for a "sustainable social market economy". Social inclusion is the keyword
and remains at the heart of the sector as a source of economic growth through the creation
of mass jobs and the fight against undeclared work.
Marie Béatrice Levaux (FEPEM) - President; Andrea Zini (ASSINDATCOLF) - Vice President;
Karmele Acedo (Grupo SSI) - Secretary General; Anita Poutard (IPERIA-The Institute) -
Treasurer.
CONTACT :
Grégoire Vivet, Policy Officer – +33 6 26 11 63 42