The European social model

The European social model is basically a promise of politicians to their citizens: a promise to protect their citizens from certain problems, "to take care of them". Nowadays, the promise of social security is the most important offer that the politicians have to offer to their citizens in exchange for their support of the project of the European Union.

Let's remember, that the promise of social security in the form of European social model replaced (completed) the original promise of preservation of peace by which the European Union was founded.

At the same time we should not forget that it was not disapproval of a federal organization or a common foreign policy, but it was the fear of the threat of the social securities guaranteed and promised nowadays in particular to the citizens of the old member countries EU 15, that had led to the rejection of the draft of the constitution treaty in France and Netherlands.

In these days the European Parliament negotiates over the report: European future social model". This report was initiated by the members themselves and addresses to the European social model and its future. Even though the report does not have any legislative impact, the commissioner Spidla has confirmed in his speech in the European Parliament that he plans to draft other legislative norms on the basis of this report.

The report claims that in fact no European social model exists. There are social systems, or models, in each member countries. But these systems fundamentally differentiate from each other. They can be divided into four groups: Scandinavian, Anglo-Saxon, Continental and Mediterranean.

The mutual connecting and comparison of the social systems of all member countries causes unbelievable problems and is a cause of a very complicated legislation on the European and national level.

What do all the social models of the European countries have in common, what could then be the content of the European social model? It is mutual values, that all countries endorse and mutual problems that we have to face because of changes in society. We agree on the fact that we want to sustain the mutual values and deal with the upcoming problems. The question is, how we are going to do this- and here we do not agree anymore and in my view will not be able to agree.

The basic values on which the European social model is built are named in the report. It is equality, solidarity, non discrimination, clear rights and obligations of the individual, redistribution, general or free access to education, health care and other public services.

Further, the report names all the problems and challenges that we have to face. These problems bring changes in society not only in Europe, but in the whole world. The basic challenges bring demographic changes, globalization and technological progress. The volume by which we can face the problems and by which we succeed in maintaining the basic values on which the social model is built, is determinant for the future of the project of the European Union. The citizens will support the continuing European integration only if they have their social protection guaranteed.

Here we can see very well, what securities politicians promise to their citizens and which of them they can actually realistically offer. A possible discrepancy between the promises and the possibilities of having them fulfilled can be a disaster for the future of European integration.

The report of the European Parliament tries, besides enumeration of the basic values and problems, to show some possible solutions. An essential thought of the report is the agreement on necessity of modernization, widening, actualizing, progress or change of the European social model. The social model has to be necessarily adjusted to the progress of society.

The common recognized values do not change, but what have to definitely differentiate and change are the technical solutions of all the social systems in the member countries of the European Union.

The question of competition of social models has been already through a major discussion. Nowadays no member country of the EU has an ideal social model. If the ideal model does not exist, it is an illusion to think, that it is possible to define such a model at the level of the European Union. The diversity of social models and the variability of their ways of progress in all countries is strength. Competition brings generally a higher quality and the scope of social models is not an exception. It is not necessary to understand the competition as a process leading to destruction of the rival. On the contrary, competition brings inspiration, new solutions and admissions, learning from success and failures. The added value of the European Union creates a possibility of mutual comparison, open communication, sharing a good experience and a good chance to avoid mistakes that were made already by someone else. Any pressure on levelling, unification of social models or restraint of their competition and the differentiation is nowadays very harmful for the European Union, all member countries and their citizens and therefore it is necessary to oppose against this pressure very vigorously.

We should welcome the emphasis on completing the internal market of the European Union. The internal market, including the market of services, creates other quality jobs, encourages economic growth and social cohesion.

Very important is a clear appeal for the support of entrepreneurship, hiring, creating new positions. The report claims that new jobs are being created in particular by small and medium enterprises. It is necessary to create a quality legislative background for entrepreneurship. Creating new jobs helps to decrease taxes and hold down bureaucracy.

It is necessary to fundamentally refuse proposals on harmonization of taxes, calling for coordination of tax policies among the member countries of the EU. The report is specific to the social model, not the tax issue and therefore it is necessary to exclude any proposals related to the tax unification from the report. Competition of fiscal policies of member countries is useful for the union, for the countries and in particular for their citizens.

An important concept is that of so- called "flexicurity", of connecting of flexibility with the social security. Flexibility is understood as a readiness of the workers to react to changes according to demands for the work force. This flexibility is supported by training that prepares the worker for the start in a job but essentially by lifelong learning that enables a response to technical progress. Mobility of workers is also very important within the European Union. Undoubtedly the problem of flexibility of working time belongs in that scope as well, so that working time could react to the employee's and employers needs.

Social models have to find the balance between the social security provided by society and the individual responsibility of individuals and his role in the social model. It is necessary to pay attention to the balance of rights between economic growth and social solidarity. Economic growth is a determinant for maintaining of social standards just as social standards are determinants for maintaining of economic growth.

It is national governments of all countries that are fully responsible for the social model. The European Union creates an economical and social framework for modernization and development of individual social models (pension reform included), defines its mutual values and enables the comparison of all the systems and its goal is to share the success and avoid the failure that were already made elsewhere.

I agree with the apposite description of the current situation and with the enumeration of mutual values and threats. I disagree with the direction that report proposes as the common solution. Unification of social and tax systems and the suppression of competition are harmful and not right. That is why I do not support this report in its proposed form.