European Integration - Statements of the National Commission of NSZZ Solidarność

Statement No 177/1999 of the National Commission of NSZZ "Solidarnosc" on Integration of Poland with the European Union

Taking into consideration that:

• for thousand years Poland has been bound to the Christian civilisation of the West, and has participated in creating and defending its values,
• democratic and independent states of Western Europe, drawing conclusions from the tragic experiences of the past and striving for elimination of the conflict sources among the nations of Europe, have achieved peace, security and welfare of their citizens through deepening of economic and political co-operation in course of the integration process which led to the creation of the European Union,
• in 1989 the Polish nation regained the possibility of sovereign decisions upon its fate, and willing to ensure its security, stable democracy and decent living conditions, wants to take its due place in the family of the European nations from which it was separated by force,
• the presence of Poland may enrich the united Europe by national and cultural values springing from the Christian heritage and independence tradition, that were preserved by the Poles despite the repeated attempts to destroy them, especially in the last fifty years, by criminal totalitarian fascist and communist systems

and sharing the vision of the European Union as an economic, social and political union of the states which internal political and social questions regulate in accordance with their own tradition,

and taking into consideration the fact that the fulfilment of the aspirations of the Polish nation is possible on condition of the economic development accompanied by harmonic social progress and sustainable increase of employment ensuring increase of the standard of living and social welfare, the National Commission of NSZZ "Solidarnosc" confirms its conviction about the purposefulness of Poland's accession to the European Union.

NSZZ "Solidarnosc" is at the same time of the opinion that the process of inclusion of Poland into the European structures brings about many challenges. Therefore the Polish Government should especially carefully conduct the preparatory work for the membership in the EU, continuing and intensifying the programme of economic and social reforms. The membership in the European Union has to be properly used for the civilisation development of Poland and improvement of the material status of Poles right from the start. It also has to contribute to strengthening of the position of Poland in Europe, and especially in the Region of Central and Eastern Europe.

In the process of preparation for the membership the Government of Poland should elaborate a detailed schedule of activities that will be undertaken in specific economic areas and in the regions. The schedule should take into account the possible financial means available from the European Union and show the ways of ensuring the indispensable financial participation of Poland. In this respect the legal and institutional changes are especially urgently needed in order to ensure the proper preparation of projects, supervision of the use of the assistance means and creation of the policy of the regional development by the local and state authorities.

At the same time the National Commission of NSZZ "Solidarnosc" points out the most important areas in which the trade unions position should be taken into consideration:

• the process of adaptation to the social standards existing in the member states of the European Union, especially in respect of accession to the Single Market of the EU, and including the matters springing from adoption of the European Social Charter by Poland,
• the problem of fighting unemployment and acting against its origins, especially counteracting the structural unemployment; in this context it is extremely important to introduce the reform of education efficiently and quickly, and to complement it with a transparent programme of adult education - NSZZ "Solidarnosc" promotes such an understanding of the expenditure on education, science and adult education which would make of it a strategic investment in Poland;
• the process of adaptation of Polish industry to the conditions of competition that exist within the Single Market of the EU, with simultaneous increase of the employment level and improvement of the working conditions;
• the problem of future accession of Poland to the European Economic and Monetary Union and introduction of the common currency Euro; these development will significantly influence the labour market in Poland, the living and working conditions of Polish workers, as well as the competitiveness of Polish enterprises and producers;
• the questions of the structural changes in Polish agriculture and the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy of EU, especially considering the policy of development of rural regions;
• the transport policy, especially the common access to the transport markets and modernisation of the infrastructure of roads, railways, harbours and airways as well as inland waterways connected to the development of transeuropean networks.

Meeting the challenges in these areas is the condition of the success of the enlargement of the European Union and lies in the interest of both candidate states and member states. We expect that reaching this goal, possible if economic, social and political stability is preserved in course of introducing the four freedoms of the Single Market (the freedom of flow of people, goods, services and capital) will be in the focus of attention of the European institutions and will be significantly supported by the common programmes for development of the candidate states.

The European Union is based not only on the foundations of the Single Market and the political union, but also on the principle of solidarity. This means equal social right for all and solidarity in carrying the burden of transformation of the less developed regions. Therefore NSZZ "Solidarnosc" resolutely demands equal (together with economic and political sphere) treatment of the social sphere in course of negotiations with the European Union.

It is also necessary - taking into consideration specific ownership relations in Poland and disproportion in both land prices and purchasing power of the communities - to negotiate special regulations referring to the land trade similar to those in effect in several EU member states.

We demand the European Trade Union Confederation and its affiliates from the EU to put pressure on the European institutions and the Governments of the member states so that new members adopt fully the European social acquis at the moment of accession. Part of this acquis is the social dialogue on the European level. We are convinced that the trade union organisations from the candidate countries should be included into this dialogue as soon as possible also in respect of the European negotiations within the ETUC mandate.

The accession of new member states should be preceded by the reform of finances and institutions of the European Union in order to cope with the new reality of the Union significantly enlarged and more diversified. The institutional reform should aim not only at the increase of efficiency of decision-making procedures, but also at their democratisation through strengthening of the representative structures. The process of reforming the European Union is a task mainly of the present member states. However NSZZ "Solidarnosc" is of the opinion that the countries already involved in accession negotiations, including Poland, being vitally interested in the future shape of the European institutions, should be included in this process as soon as possible. We will not accept in any way the ineffectiveness, present inertia and the lack of will of action of those responsible for the reform as a pretext to delay the enlargement of the Union or to freeze or delay the negotiations.

Taking into consideration this position of NSZZ "Solidarnosc" will create a solid basis for the integration of Poland with the European Union, and in consequence will create for Poland a possibility of having a direct influence on the shape of the new European order on equal rights.

31 May 1999

Statement No 190/1999 on Freedom of Movement of Workers after the Enlargement of the European Union

In connection to the start of negotiations on Poland's accession to the EU and basing on the Programme Resolution of IX National Congress of Delegates in Jastrzebie Zdroj, the National Commission confirms the position of NSZZ "Solidarnosc" demanding the coverage of workers from Poland and other new member states by the principle of free movement of labour at the moment of accession. The introduction of a transition period for this principle with simultaneous introduction of other freedoms, including free flow of capital, would be economically unjustified and socially harmful and could lead to following negative phenomena in the enlarged EU:

• deepening of the social dumping by inflow of investments aimed at exploitation of cheap work force before the eventual liquidation of barriers,
• expansion of the informal sector and possible increase of unemployment in the West of Europe due to free migration of persons from the new member states without the possibility of legal employment,
• striving of the domestic and foreign employers in the new members states to achieve the competitiveness of their products at the expense of lowering wages and social standards being a consequence of unemployment imported from the West along with an inflow of cheap, including subsidised goods and services,
• blocking of the process of bringing wages and living standards to the same level which will provoke deepening regional differences between the new and the old members of the EU, and may be an undesired additional burden for the EU budget, and especially for the structural funds.

According to the economic and social analyses the introduction of free movement of labour will generate a very small net transfer of the work force from the new to the old member states and, on the other hand, may be an important impulse minimising or even blocking the above mentioned mechanisms.

12 October 1999

Statement No 191/1999 on Information and Social Consultation referring to European Integration

The success of the process of preparation of Poland to the accession to the European Union will depend to a big extent on the involvement of the Polish society. An indispensable condition of the social involvement is supplying by the Government adequate information for everybody interested and inclusion of the social partners into the decision making process during the negotiations.

Considering the present state of knowledge on integration as insufficient, which is the effect of difficulties in accessing to necessary information, the National Commission expects the Government to:

• create a data base ensuring common access to documents on the EU and negotiations (availability of new documents in Polish is especially important),
• ensure real consultations with the social partners, which demands creation of conditions enabling the access to up till now confidential documents,
• increase of organisational and financial assistance for the actions undertaken by trade unions in order to inform and educate workers on the integration.

The National Commission is convinced that the society should be well informed about the benefits, threats and costs of membership of Poland in the EU. This requires that they should be identified and evaluated by the Government after consultations with the social partners and there is a need to prepare a time-table of action in order to minimise the threats.

NSZZ "Solidarnosc" expects that a mechanism will be created in order to ensure that the social partners may have influence on creation of programmes of using the European assistance means, and that they participate in the control of their use.

The National Commission expresses its conviction that the full and adequate information for the society and creation of conditions for real participation of the social partners in the negotiation process will contribute to the increase of knowledge of the society on the integration. This will consequently allow more aware evaluation of the results of negotiations on membership and will create a basis for real participation in the commonly awaited referendum during which the Poles will decide on the matter of accession to the EU.

12 October 1999

Statement No 23/2001 of the National Commission of NSZZ "Solidarność" on negotiations in reference to EU enlargement

Confirming its conviction about the purposefulness of Poland' s accession to the European Union, NSZZ "Solidarność strongly opposes attempts to impose on new member countries any transition period as far as free movement of workers is concerned. Our position has been known for a long time, but we emphasise it in the face of new circumstances such as the expected reaction of the European Commission to the Polish Government's position paper in this field (convergent with the opinion of NSZZ "Solidarność"), recent declarations of the ETUC and the DGB and comments of Mr Gerhard Schröder, the German Chancellor.

The statement of the DGB from 7 November 2000 provide s a reliable analysis of challenges (also to the national labour markets), which are to be faced after EU enlargement. We appreciate the demand of the DGB that candidate countries adopt the entity of acquis communautaire in the field of employment and social policy. However, it is unacceptable to demand any transition period in reference to free movement of workers, even if the postulate is moderated by a proposal of limited and controlled mutual access j to the labour markets and by a reservation, that the transition period should be short and introduced in a flexible way, allowing a possibility to be shortened, if the circumstances allow it. The DGB statement is a step backwards with relation to the common declaration of NSZZ "Solidarność" Chairman, Marian Krzaklewski and the DGB Chairman Dieter Schulte from 18 March 1999, stating that the DGB and NSZZ "Solidarność" will oppose the introduction of single market of goods, capital and services with the exclusion of single market of labour.

Even more disappointing is the statement by the Chancellor of Germany, Gerhard Schröder, from 18 December 2000, supported immediately by the Chancellor of Austria, Wolfgang Schüssel, announcing the closure of EU labour market to workers from new member states for a period of seven years. This statement is particularly disturbing in the context of prior invitation to Germany of highly qualified computer science workers. NSZZ "Solidarność" will accept neither the labour market blockade nor brain drain policy. The statement by the Chancellor of Germany is incomprehensible also because the first EU enlargement to the former Soviet block countries took place through unification of Germany, and the new federal states were integrated to West Germany and EU instantly and with no objections despite the fact that East Germany had no democratic institutions and its economy was ruined by the communist system, while the candidate countries came through a difficult } and expensive ten-year transformation period.

Much more balanced is the statement of the ETUC from 14 December 2000, which underlines the fact that free movement of workers is one of the tour basic freedoms and, in the light of the European Commission analyses, its influence on the member states labour market after the enlargement will be limited. Therefore, if the transition period proved to be inevitable, the ETUC firmly demands it to be the shortest possible, introduced in a flexible way, and allowing a possibility to lift it easily after analysing the EU labour market after the enlargement.

European idea is much more than only Single Market. Its integral part is the principle of solidarity and social security of all member states and citizens. Therefore "Solidarność" objects social dumping and employing workers on conditions different from national standards in the member states, and opts for creating in the future European collective agreements. For the same reasons we oppose the discrimination in access of workers from the countries of the enlarged Europe to the European labour market. Any kind of discrimination is contradictory to the spirit of the European integration and puts its sense in question.

The issue of free movement of people must not be subject to trading during negotiations on other chapters, and must be based on reliable analysis of real conditions. We call on the Polish government to present the same position. However, if the negotiations lead to an agreement different from our expectations, the National Commission reserves for itself the right to assessment and issuing a corresponding opinion afterwards.

06 February 2001

Statement No 172/2001 of the Presidium ref.: negotiations on Polish accession to the European Union

NSZZ "Solidarnosc" expresses firm protest against the way the negotiations on Poland's accession to the EU are conducted. Unclear and contradictory information on concessions in the issue of the trade of the land make us suppose that apart from public statements of Polish party there are also "under the table" agreements unbeneficial for Poland. This makes Poland become a client for whom the accession to the EU is more important than negotiating good conditions.

The agreement on the transition periods in free movement of workers and employment in the EU leads to treating our workers as the second-class employees. We want to remind that the National Congress of Delegates of NSZZ "Solidarnosc" on 26 October 2001 expressed its concern about incoherent information of the SLD-UP-PSL government on the negotiation position on this issue.

Negotiations mean concessions not from only one side, but from all negotiating parties. The way of negotiating presented recently by the authorities makes us concern that due to their own interests they agree upon concessions that will make Polish society more sceptical towards the EU.

This may have negative influence on the effects of referendum on Poland's accession to the EU.

The Presidium of the National Commission of NSZZ "Solidarnosc" negatively evaluates the up-to-date way of informing the society on these important issues, especially the position in issues important for the workers without consulting their representatives and therefore we demand urgent presentation of the Polish government's position in these important questions.

20 November 2001

Statement No 5/2004 of the National Commission ref.: draft of the Constitutional Treaty of the European Union

The Independent and Self-governing Trade Union "Solidarnosc" was created on the grounds of fight for dignity of a man. The desire of freedom came to life in solidarity strain in Poland and, consequently, caused the collapse of the Berlin wall followed by collapse of totalitarian regimes and made it possible to restore democracy in those European countries that presently are becoming a part of the European Union.

Concern of maintaining the national identity accompanies those ideas.

In the referendum, the people voted in favour of accession of Poland to the European Union, but the government through its wrong policy and misinformation has led to the situation where Poles become more and more afraid of their future in the European Union. No one knows to which extend the presented vision of Poland will be reflected in the reality.

The National Commission of NSZZ "Solidarnosc" made a thorough and solid analysis of the project of the Constitutional Treaty of the European Union, and the effects of it lead to following general conclusions:

• the draft, with its uniform text, replaces consequent treaties starting from the Rome Treaty through the Nice Treaty;
• the treaty indeed improves the democratic mechanisms of the European Union giving higher importance to representative bodies, including the European Parliament, and giving a way for citizens' legislative initiatives [Part I, 46];
• the Union's competence are defined by the principle of conferral, subsidiarity and proportionality [Part I, 9];
• transparency and openness of the work of the Union's institutions, including the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers, is ensured [Part I, 49];

NSZZ "Solidarnosc" in its resolution 5 of the XVI National Congress of Delegates presented demands referring to the provisions of the Constitutional Treaty. Those that were fully or partially fulfilled are:

• inclusion into the treaty of the Charter of Basic Rights which gave it a binding legal force in such key areas as right to live, basic human rights, right to organise trade unions, right to collective bargaining and to strike, protection against unjust dismissal from work, protection and social aid. [Part II, 12 28,30,34];
• reference e.g. to respect for human dignity, solidarity and justice as the basic values of the Union, aiming at full employment, social market economy, social protection and eradication of social exclusion [Part I, 2,3};
• acknowledgement of the role of the social partners [Part I, 47];
• providing legal basis for European legislation in the issue of principles of functioning of general interest services [Part III, 6];
• acknowledgement of the role of the Union in co-ordination national policies of employment and economy [Part I, 14];
• inclusion of provisions referring to support for social policy, industrial policy, policies of scientific research, health care, education and vocational training [Part III, 103,180,146,175,182];
• direct reference to the workers' right to information and consultation within a company [Part II, 27];

The issues of the system of values were touched upon to generally and incompletely in the draft treaty.

Among the draft's insufficiencies are also:

• lack of provision of the right to live from conception to natural death;
• lack of direct reference to the Christian roots the European values and identity are based upon (despite the recall of religious heritage in the treaty's preamble);
• lack of provision that a man and his work stand above the capital;
• lack of definition of family with its deep consequences and its role in the society;
• lack of provision of possibilities for creating cross-border trade unions;
• lack of principle of decision-making by qualified majority of votes in the matters of social and fiscal policies;
• lack of new instruments and procedures referring to economic governance (except for modest instruments for the euro zone) [Part III, 88].

Moreover it has to be stated that Part III including detailed outlines is overbuilt, and due to its hasty adopting it is partially linguistically incoherent with parts I and II. We also demand harmonising of Part III with Parts I and II, especially adapting the wording "high level of employment" [Part III, 99] and "open market economy" [Part III, 69] to terms "full employment" and "social market economy" in Part I [Part I, 3].

Evaluating the draft of the treaty as a whole, one has to keep in mind that it was a subject of compromise, hitherto treaty protection for the workers were fully adopted, and the list of fulfilled demands of NSZZ "Solidarnosc" is a progress.

At the same time the National Commission expresses its discontent with omitting the above important questions and calls upon Polish Government and the Inter-governmental Conference to taking them into consideration in the draft of the treaty.

The National Commission is also convinced that the Members States and the Union as a whole will go by the principle of solidarity also in economic and social solutions.

NSZZ "Solidarnosc" emphasises that regardless the content of finally adopted Constitutional Treaty, it will continuously work for maintaining the identity of Europe based on multi-cultural heritage, Christian roots and values among which the Christian tradition is of highest value and respect in our country.

21 April 2004