Documents

This Opinion, adopted by the Plenary Council, deems that the transposition of Directive 2001/86/EC was correct but reflects differences of opinion between employees and trade unions on its content. The Council moreover considers that the gender impact report accompanying the bill is insufficient and notes that the government should also have consulted it on the bill for the European Company Statute.

The Draft Law of the Ministry of Health and Social Care attempts to reorganise public health services. Staffing and organisational changes are to be made to the relevant services, with the aim of better ensuring the public health of the population.

It is the Opinion of the ESC on the National Action Plan for Social Integration 2005-2006 drafted by the Ministry of Employment and Social Protection.

In this advisory report, issued in response to a request for advice from the Dutch government, the Social and Economic Council of the Netherlands (SER) recommends improving public services by stimulating entrepreneurship, predominantly in sectors such as education, healthcare and housing. Such entrepreneurship would create new opportunities for the efficient provision of high-quality services, more innovative means of providing them, and more tailored services. This would consequently lead to more choice for users.

In this advisory report, drawn up in response to a request for advice from the Minister of Social Affairs and Employment, the Social and Economic Council (SER) makesrecommendations to simplify the Working Hours Act (Arbeidstijdenwet, ATW). The Act consists mainly of a system of norms for employees, including norms for maximum working hours per day, minimum rest periods per week, and night work.The SER?s main argument is that the legal regulation of working hours must create opportunities and encourage employers and employees to make concrete agreements at bothindividual and collective level, as agreements on working hours play an important role in the Dutch system of labour relations.