Dispute over EU declaration

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Austria did not sign the EU declaration on social rights: Social Affairs Minister Johannes Rauch (left) now sharply criticizes the stance of the Ministry of Economic Affairs led by Martin Kocher (ÖVP).

(Bild: APA/HANS KLAUS TECHT)

New internal coalition tensions between the ÖVP and the Greens. The bone of contention is currently an EU declaration on social rights. Because the People's Party did not want to agree to this, Social Affairs Minister Johannes Rauch (Greens) was also unable to sign it on behalf of Austria. "I think this is anti-European, short-sighted and embarrassing," said Rauch, expressing his anger at his coalition partner.

The legally non-binding, so-called La Hulpe Declaration was adopted on Tuesday in the Belgian town of the same name.

"Bowing to pressure from the business lobby"
"The ÖVP has withdrawn its original commitment and once again bowed to pressure from the business lobby," criticized Rauch on the online platform X.

Ministry of Economic Affairs denies prior approval
The ÖVP-led Ministry of Economic Affairs under Martin Kocher confirmed the dissent on Monday, but denied prior approval. "One point of dissent is the autonomy of the social partners, which is particularly important for Austria, for example when concluding collective agreements, which is not sufficiently safeguarded," argued the Ministry of Economic Affairs in its rejection of the declaration.

The Ministry of Labor and Economic Affairs never gave its approval, which is why it was not possible to withdraw it.

Eine Stellungnahme des ÖVP-geführten Wirtschaftsministeriums

The conference in La Hulpe was attended by the EU social affairs ministers as well as representatives of the EU Commission, the EU Parliament and employee and employer associations. The declaration is intended to be a blueprint for EU social policy in the coming years. However, business associations lobbied against the agreed text at the last minute, Rauch said on Monday.

ÖGB head also criticizes refusal to agree
"The only ones who refused to sign the so-called La Hulpe Declaration, which is to be finally adopted by the Council of Social Ministers in June, were the corporate lobby Business Europe, the Swedish right-wing government and, of all countries, the social policy flagship country with the highest collective bargaining coverage: Austria," criticized Wolfgang Katzian, President of both the ÖGB and the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), who had helped negotiate the declaration on site: "I also expressed my disappointment at the conference."

Sweden did not sign either
In addition to Austria, Sweden also did not sign the text. Ireland seemed to have difficulties with the text on the point of social partner autonomy despite signing and emphasized the autonomy again in an attached statement to the declaration. The declaration text itself states, among other things: "The 20 principles of the Pillar ("European Pillar of Social Rights") should be implemented, taking due account of the different socio-economic contexts, the diversity of national systems and the role and autonomy of the social partners."