The social partners participating are EuroCommerce, representing commercial enterprises in retail, trade, wholesale and international trade, and UNI-Europe Commerce, representing workers’ trade unions operating in the commerce sectors.

Mr Farrugia formed part of the EuroCommerce group representing the commercial establishments in the 25 European Union market states.

The Social Dialogue Committee for Commerce expressed its views on the Proposal for a Directive on Services in the Internal Market and discussed the latest figures in commerce in an enlarged Europe with particular reference to any hindrance to the free movement of goods caused by acceding states.

The proposed Services Directive aims to:

• help boost economic growth and sustainable jobs by laying the foundations for a real European Internal Market for services;

• make it easier for businesses, especially small- and medium-sized enterprises, to provide services throughout the EU, thereby improving quality and choice for consumers;

• improve cooperation between national authorities to protect and inform consumers and to combat rogue operators, illegal work etc.;

• ensure that a service company posting workers to another member state fully applies that member state’s employment laws – including minimum wages – in order to avoid “social dumping”;

• remove pointless red tape in a measured and gradual way, by member states working together;

• help stop discrimination against companies and customers on grounds of nationality;

• clarify under which conditions patients are reimbursed for medical care obtained in another member state.

The Proposed Services Directive does not aim to:

• force member states to liberalise or privatise “public services” or open them to competition;

• affect the freedom of member states to define what they consider to be “public services”, or how they should be organised and financed;

• change the way member states choose to organise health and social security systems;

• impose extra costs on member states’ social security systems;

• allow social dumping by bringing in “cheap” workers;

• prevent member states from checking and controlling companies and workers operating on their territory;

• endanger national laws that genuinely protect health, safety and consumer rights.

Mr Farrugia presented a paper on the impact of the proposed Services Directive on the small business in the retail, trading and wholesale sectors.