Social Agenda Issue 53 - EN

Vocational education and training: Third European Week 5-9 NOVEMBER 2018 “Discover your talent” was the hashtag of the third edition of the European Vocational Skills Week. Over one million people throughout the EU plus Iceland and Norway took part in national and local events. For the first time, the Week's European event took place outside Belgium, in Vienna. It focused on the future of vocational education and training (VET), as the European Commission is due in 2019 to put forward a proposal for the next phase of the EU VET policy cooperation strategy, post-2020 (see page 10). Mobile air crews: What EU law says 26 SEPTEMBER 2018 Marianne Thyssen, Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility, received Michael O'Leary, CEO of Ryanair to discuss the dispute within the airline company on the application of labour law and the steps Ryanair is taking. She reiterated that EU rules on employment contracts for mobile air crews are clear: It is not the flag of the aircraft that determines the applicable law; it is the place from where the workers leave in the morning and return in the evening, without the employer having to cover the expenses. "Respecting EU law is not something over which workers should have to negotiate”, the Commissioner stressed, “nor is it something which can be done differently from country to country. I made this very clear to Mr. O'Leary today. I am not against Ryanair or against the low-cost business model. But with great success also comes great responsibility. The internal market is not a jungle; it has clear rules on fair labour mobility and worker protection". European Solidarity Corps: Project proposals 10 AUGUST 2018 The European Commission called on interested parties to put forward ideas for projects under the European Solidarity Corps. A total of €44 million has been set aside from the EU budget for selected projects that will be open to all young people across Europe and beyond. This was the first of a series of calls that will allow at least 100 000 young people to take part in the Corps until the end of 2020. NEWS IN BRIEF Discover your talent: The third European Vocational Skills Week took place in November. © Belga Image © Belga Image €44 million from the EU budget: At least 100 000 young people will be able to take part in the European Solidarity Corps until the end of 2020. © European Union The internal market is not a jungle: European Commissioner Marianne Thyssen met Michael O'Leary, Ryanair CEO. 4 / SOC I A L AG E NDA / NOV E MB E R 2 0 1 8