Nicosia: The successful conclusion of negotiations on the revision of EU rules governing the coordination of social security systems was the most significant achievement of the Cypriot Presidency of the Council of the European Union, Labour and Social Insurance Minister Marinos Moushouttas said on Friday, describing it as the closure of a legislative file that had remained unresolved for nearly a decade.
According to Cyprus News Agency, presenting the Ministry's achievements during Cyprus' EU Presidency at a press conference, Moushouttas said the agreement on the revision of Regulation (EC) No. 883/2004 modernises the European social security framework, strengthens the protection of mobile workers and citizens exercising their right to free movement, and demonstrates that "through dialogue and trust-building, even the most complex legislative files can be brought to a successful conclusion."
He said the Cypriot Presidency had delivered significant results in employment, social policy, occupational health and safety, and the coordination of social security systems, confirming Cyprus' ability to play an active and substantive role in shaping European policies.
According to the Minister, the Presidency also showed that competitiveness and social justice are complementary rather than conflicting objectives. "A competitive Europe requires quality jobs, the protection of workers and investment in human capital. This is the legacy the Republic of Cyprus leaves behind," he said.
The Minister said Cyprus also placed the impact of climate change on occupational safety and health on the Council agenda for the first time, noting that increasingly frequent and intense heatwaves are already significantly affecting working conditions, particularly in the Mediterranean countries.
He further highlighted progress on the Chemicals Omnibus VI package, which simplifies the regulatory framework for chemicals while maintaining a high level of protection for human health and the environment, as well as the completion of the revision of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund Regulation to provide more effective support for workers affected by major economic changes and restructuring.
Moushouttas said the Cypriot Presidency also helped shape the European agenda on the future of work beyond its legislative achievements. He also referred to the contribution of Nobel laureate economist Professor Christopher Pissarides to the debate and to Cyprus' initiative securing an opinion from the European Economic and Social Committee on job quality, artificial intelligence, social dialogue and collective bargaining.
The Presidency also placed strong emphasis on the social dimension of European competitiveness through a high-level conference on social justice in Nicosia and concluded key European Semester policy documents, including the Recommendation on Human Capital and the Joint Employment Report, helping shape the EU's priorities for the coming years.
Finally, Moushouttas said the Cypriot Presidency represented the EU and its member states at the 114th International Labour Conference of the International Labour Organization and the 64th session of the UN Commission for Social Development, promoting common European positions on decent work, gender equality, social dialogue and social cohesion.