McCreevy in opspraak na controversiële uitspraken over Zweeds sociaal model (en)

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - MEPs on Wednesday voted in favour of hauling both the commission president and the internal market commissioner before parliament to explain Brussels' position on Sweden's social model.

In a resolution put forward yesterday by the Socialist group and adopted by 189 to 157 votes, Jose Manuel Barroso and Charlie McCreevy have been asked to appear on Thursday (13 October) to shed light on comments reportedly made by Mr McCreevy on a recent trip to Sweden.

The comments, which appeared to call the country's collective wage agreements into question - an important part of Sweden's economic model - caused uproar.

A day later, it was mooted that Stockholm would withdraw its support for a directive on opening up the services market - a controversial piece of legislation for which Mr McCreevy needs all the member states support he can get.

Speaking on Wednesday, Martin Schulz, head of the socialists, said "Mr McCreevy is a loose cannon whose arrogant opinions have provoked anti-EU feeling across Europe."

"We want Mr Barroso to disown this unacceptable attack on a social model that is universally recognised as being one of the most successful in the world".

Proinsias De Rossa, Irish Socialist MEP, called for clarifcation. "Was Charlie McCreevy speaking on behalf of the Commission or was he on a solo run?", he asked.

"He is, after all, the Commissioner responsible for the internal market."

During the visit to Sweden last week, Mr McCreevy sided with Latvian company Laval un Partneri against the Swedish government in a European court case.

Laval had refused to sign up to the Swedish collective agreement on wages saying it was working under a Latvian agreement. The case will now appear before the EU's top court to test its compliance with EU freedom of movement law.

McCreevy denies statements

For his part, Mr McCreevy, who made his reputation as a headstrong finance minister in his native Ireland, appeared to back down slightly.

In comments to Swedish Newswire TT, the commissioner said "I have never, ever said that any member state's system of collective agreements should be changed".

However, he went on to add "The question here is whether or not Sweden has implemented article 49 in the treaty on free movement. We have to let the court decide and then adjust to the decision".

Uneasy relations

The move by socialist MEPs - opposed by the liberals and only partially supported by the centre-right who do not want Mr Barroso to have to appear before plenary as well - is just one of a series of spats between the commission and the parliament's second largest group.

Since this commission came to power last November, socialists have been alarmed at what they see as the commission's neo-liberal agenda.

They have accused Mr Barroso, who has made no secret of wanting to make his tenure at the commission about creating jobs and of downgrading policy areas such as the environment in favour of free market ideas.