David Casa presents opinion on retail action plan

The head of the PN delegation in the European Parliament David Casa has presented his opinion on the Retail Action Plan to the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs.

The Commission's plan aims to further integrate the retail sector in the internal market through the identification of five objectives intended to create "more competitive and sustainable retail services".

The Casa Opinion deals with issues related to employment and social affairs and will feed in to the lead report at a later stage.

The opinion focuses on the importance of addressing the mismatch between labour force skills and the requirements of the retail sector, suggesting that action in this regard could enhance the employability of young people, long-term unemployed, older workers and people with disabilities. It also calls for the enhanced use of existing EU instruments, such as the Skills Sector Alliance, which support structured partnerships between skills providers and businesses.

The Casa Opinion also gives importance to micro enterprises in terms providing support for new trends that enhance efficiency in the provision of retail services.

"The role of smaller companies should not be underestimated. They are often the ones that are capable of reacting with greater expediency in crises and can cushion economies in times of turmoil. They are however at times less able to cover the cost of new technologies that will keep them competitive. These enterprises must be supported in this regard," Casa said.

The dossier also reflects on the high social risks and low income for undeclared workers in this sector who are excluded from health coverage and social benefits, and calls for a proper implementation of existing social and labour legislation

Casa is currently in process of accepting amendments to his Opinion; he will then be responsible for negotiating compromises with other MEPs prior to a vote in the Parliament's Employment Committee in the coming weeks.

The negotiations in Committee normally include the submission of amendments by MEPs, possibly including diverging or contradictory positions. The role of rapporteur, assigned to MEP Casa in this case, involves the ironing out of differences between MEPs coming from several Member States and different party ranks. Once a set of amendments reaches a majority support within the Committee in charge of the given dossier, it then goes to the vote by all the MEPs during one of the plenary sessions in Strasbourg.