The primacy of dignity

Although a series of points found a common agreement, “the path leading to the transformation of shared values in concerted policies is still very long”. However, human dignity and the protection of weaker brackets on the job market” should be “the point of departure of each strategy applying the principle of flexicurity” (a model conciliating flexibility and security in modern market policies ed.note ). These, states a note by the Commission of Europe’s Bishops Conferences (Comece) were the concluding remarks of the “seminary of dialogue” between experts and representatives of the Christian Churches of the continent and the EU institutions held in Brussels on February 28, at the European Commission on the eve of the European Council “Labour, Social affairs, health and consumer protection”. Topic of the meeting, promoted by the same Commission, by the European Churches Conference (Kek) and by Comece’s Secretariat was “Flexicurity and values”. The possible strategies of flexicurity, whose basic principles comply with the recent European Labour Strategy and with Lisbon’s Strategy, are the object of major debate at European level. Human dignity was also the main topic of Comece’s Plenary Assembly commencing today in Brussels (until March 7) on “The Respect of Human Dignity and the Safeguard of Creation – The Incarnation of the Common Good by XXI Century’s European Policies”.Within the Churches’ tradition. “Flexicurity – explained Vladimir Špidla, European Labour, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Commissioner – enables workers’ protection on the labour market, the promotion of equal opportunities between men and women, the safeguard of family life and the fight against poverty”. This concept, pointed out Stefan Lunte, Comece’s Deputy Secretary-General “is rooted within the Churches’ tradition”. “In the social and political arena – he pointed out – it should be valued on the basis of the progress made by the weakest players on the labour market”. Mutual trust and workers’ formation. “These labour policies require high levels of mutual trust. This, in turn, demands the involvement of all social realities: not only workers and trade unions, but also Churches and organizations related to it”, remarked Rudiger Noll, director of Kek’s “Church and Society” Commission, expressing the concern of the Continent’s Christian Churches for “the labour market’s increasing segmentation and insecurity, and the increasing marginalization of the long-term unemployed, people with poor education levels and immigrants”. On his part, the European Commissioner for Culture and Education Ján Figel, remarked that “training and education can contribute to the success of the flexicurity initiative in all EU Countries”. No to Sunday working. Gerhard Wegner , director of the Social Science Institute of the Evangelical Church in Germany, claimed that “social institutions (social security, employment, youth counseling and job placement services) should propose more decisive empowerment strategies (aimed at improving individual opportunities and professional skills – editor’s note ) to increase job opportunity”. An appeal against Sunday working as part of “Europe’s cultural heritage” was launched by the bishop of Linz (Austria), Msgr. Ludwig Schwarz. “Human beings were created not as individuals – he affirmed – but as persons open to communities. Only shared free time, only human relations, allow individuals to fulfill their personal dignity”. The role of the Churches. Highlighting the importance of permanent formation, MEP Jacek Protasiewicz said he hopes Churches “will help individuals find their own path within the reformed job market” and “to handle its changes”. Protasiewicz believes it is important to “strengthen the ethical dimension of the relations between employers and the employed”. Also Bozica Matic (Permanent Representative of Slovenia at the EU) pointed to the commitment of all parties, “including Churches and religious communities”, for the “implementation of flexicurity”. The meeting of Christian Churches and European Institutions was also attended by social partners represented by Businesseurope (Unice) e by Europe’s trade unions federation (Etuc).