08-24-2017, 10:25 PM
*** 25-Aug-17 World View -- France's Emmanuel Macron accuses EU countries of 'social and fiscal dumping'
This morning's key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com
****
**** France's Emmanuel Macron accuses EU countries of 'social and fiscal dumping'
****
![[Image: g170824b.jpg]](http://Media.GenerationalDynamics.com/ww2010/g170824b.jpg)
Migrant workers in France (Getty)
In 2005, European leaders were stunned when France overwhelmingly
rejected the proposal to ratify a new EU constitution.
Those who campaigned against ratification in the French referendum
used the code words "Preserving national identity" to disparage east
European countries. During the campaign, the low-paid Polish plumber
who steals a job away from a well-paid Frenchman became the symbol of
the opponents.
France and Poland have continued to have an uncomfortable relationship
since then, and France's new president Emmanuel Macron has inflamed
the relationship by accusing Poland and other countries of "social
dumping." Speaking during a visit to Romania, Macron said:
> [indent]<QUOTE>"Some political or business circles seek to use the
> EU's funds while at the same time developing a system of social
> and fiscal dumping. [Failure to reform] will lead to the
> dismantling of the European Union. Part of Britain's Brexit vote
> was down to the poor functioning of the single market on posted
> worker rules, and the rules we have on social
> rights."<END QUOTE>[/indent]
Speaking in Austria, Macron said
> [indent]<QUOTE>"The single European market and the free movement of
> workers is not meant to create a race to the bottom in terms of
> social regulations.
>
> I think that Europe should protect [its citizens], and in that
> way, the European integration project should get a new
> meaning. Ultimately our citizens want to free themselves from the
> pressures of globalization.
>
> A Europe that protects is also in the position to solve the
> problem of posted workers. The posted workers directive, as it
> currently works, is a betrayal of the European spirit ... This
> only fuels populism in our countries."<END QUOTE>[/indent]
The reference to "posted workers" is to a law that allows a company in
a low-paying EU country (Poland) to send a worker to a high-paying EU
country (France) without having to meet local labor regulations,
including union-negotiated salaries and benefits.
Poland's Prime Minister Beata Szydlo said on Thursday:
> [indent]<QUOTE>"We are not going to change our stance. We will defend
> our position to the very end, because it is a position that is in
> the interests of Polish workers."<END QUOTE>[/indent]
France 24 and Reuters and Express (London)
Related: French reject European constitution (30-May-2005)
****
**** Britain sees a big fall in net migration since Brexit vote
****
It's good to remember every now and then that while the most
inflammatory aspect of Britain's migration issue is Muslim migrants
from Syria or Africa, the actual target of those who favored Brexit
was the Christian migrants from Poland and other low-paying eastern
European countries.
New figures from Britain's Office of National Statistics reveal that
net migration (subtracting the number that leave from the number that
arrive) has fallen sharply since the Brexit, down 81,000 to 246,000 in
the 12 months ending in March.
There was a particularly sharp rise (17,000) of citizens of the
so-called EU8 or A8 countries. These are countries that joined the EU
during its enlargement in 2004, and include Czech Republic, Estonia,
Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia.
However, the Brexit vote may not fully explain the fall in net
migration. Since the Brexit referendum, the value of the pound
sterling currency has fallen sharply. Last June, the pound bought
almost 6 Polish zlotys. Today, it buys only 4.6 zlotys. It may be
that east Europeans are leaving Britain because it no longer makes
economic sense.
The food industry is expressing alarm over the outflow of EU workers.
A survey of food industry businesses found that 31% were already
losing EU workers, and 36% said they would become unviable if the
trend continued. The survey was of businesses in the "farm-to-fork"
supply chain, including the agricultural, food, drink and
manufacturing sectors. BBC and BBC
KEYS: Generational Dynamics, France, Emmanuel Macron, Romania,
Austria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania,,
Slovakia, Slovenia, Poland, Beata Szydlo, Britain, Brexit
Permanent web link to this article
Receive daily World View columns by e-mail
Contribute to Generational Dynamics via PayPal
John J. Xenakis
100 Memorial Drive Apt 8-13A
Cambridge, MA 02142
Phone: 617-864-0010
E-mail: john@GenerationalDynamics.com
Web site: http://www.GenerationalDynamics.com
Forum: http://www.gdxforum.com/forum
Subscribe to World View: http://generationaldynamics.com/subscribe
This morning's key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com
- France's Emmanuel Macron accuses EU countries of 'social and fiscal dumping'
- Britain sees a big fall in net migration since Brexit vote
****
**** France's Emmanuel Macron accuses EU countries of 'social and fiscal dumping'
****
Migrant workers in France (Getty)
In 2005, European leaders were stunned when France overwhelmingly
rejected the proposal to ratify a new EU constitution.
Those who campaigned against ratification in the French referendum
used the code words "Preserving national identity" to disparage east
European countries. During the campaign, the low-paid Polish plumber
who steals a job away from a well-paid Frenchman became the symbol of
the opponents.
France and Poland have continued to have an uncomfortable relationship
since then, and France's new president Emmanuel Macron has inflamed
the relationship by accusing Poland and other countries of "social
dumping." Speaking during a visit to Romania, Macron said:
> [indent]<QUOTE>"Some political or business circles seek to use the
> EU's funds while at the same time developing a system of social
> and fiscal dumping. [Failure to reform] will lead to the
> dismantling of the European Union. Part of Britain's Brexit vote
> was down to the poor functioning of the single market on posted
> worker rules, and the rules we have on social
> rights."<END QUOTE>[/indent]
Speaking in Austria, Macron said
> [indent]<QUOTE>"The single European market and the free movement of
> workers is not meant to create a race to the bottom in terms of
> social regulations.
>
> I think that Europe should protect [its citizens], and in that
> way, the European integration project should get a new
> meaning. Ultimately our citizens want to free themselves from the
> pressures of globalization.
>
> A Europe that protects is also in the position to solve the
> problem of posted workers. The posted workers directive, as it
> currently works, is a betrayal of the European spirit ... This
> only fuels populism in our countries."<END QUOTE>[/indent]
The reference to "posted workers" is to a law that allows a company in
a low-paying EU country (Poland) to send a worker to a high-paying EU
country (France) without having to meet local labor regulations,
including union-negotiated salaries and benefits.
Poland's Prime Minister Beata Szydlo said on Thursday:
> [indent]<QUOTE>"We are not going to change our stance. We will defend
> our position to the very end, because it is a position that is in
> the interests of Polish workers."<END QUOTE>[/indent]
France 24 and Reuters and Express (London)
Related: French reject European constitution (30-May-2005)
****
**** Britain sees a big fall in net migration since Brexit vote
****
It's good to remember every now and then that while the most
inflammatory aspect of Britain's migration issue is Muslim migrants
from Syria or Africa, the actual target of those who favored Brexit
was the Christian migrants from Poland and other low-paying eastern
European countries.
New figures from Britain's Office of National Statistics reveal that
net migration (subtracting the number that leave from the number that
arrive) has fallen sharply since the Brexit, down 81,000 to 246,000 in
the 12 months ending in March.
There was a particularly sharp rise (17,000) of citizens of the
so-called EU8 or A8 countries. These are countries that joined the EU
during its enlargement in 2004, and include Czech Republic, Estonia,
Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia.
However, the Brexit vote may not fully explain the fall in net
migration. Since the Brexit referendum, the value of the pound
sterling currency has fallen sharply. Last June, the pound bought
almost 6 Polish zlotys. Today, it buys only 4.6 zlotys. It may be
that east Europeans are leaving Britain because it no longer makes
economic sense.
The food industry is expressing alarm over the outflow of EU workers.
A survey of food industry businesses found that 31% were already
losing EU workers, and 36% said they would become unviable if the
trend continued. The survey was of businesses in the "farm-to-fork"
supply chain, including the agricultural, food, drink and
manufacturing sectors. BBC and BBC
KEYS: Generational Dynamics, France, Emmanuel Macron, Romania,
Austria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania,,
Slovakia, Slovenia, Poland, Beata Szydlo, Britain, Brexit
Permanent web link to this article
Receive daily World View columns by e-mail
Contribute to Generational Dynamics via PayPal
John J. Xenakis
100 Memorial Drive Apt 8-13A
Cambridge, MA 02142
Phone: 617-864-0010
E-mail: john@GenerationalDynamics.com
Web site: http://www.GenerationalDynamics.com
Forum: http://www.gdxforum.com/forum
Subscribe to World View: http://generationaldynamics.com/subscribe
