Nicolas SCHMIT, Commissioner-designate for Jobs, is heard by the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL) in association with the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON) of the European Parliament in Brussels to test his general competences, European commitment and specific expertise related to his portfolio. Statement by and Nicolas SCHMIT, Commissioner-designate for Jobs.

Brussels

Committee on Employment and Social Affairs

SCHMIT, Nicolas (LU, EC)

Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs

hearing of Commissioners

2019 Commissioners' hearings (T)

hearing of Nicolas SCHMIT 2019 (T)

Hearing of Nicolas SCHMIT, Commissioner-designate, Jobs: extracts from the hearing (2/2)

SOUNDBITE (English), Matthew PATTEN (NI, UK), Only 1% of staff directly employed by the EU has a minority background. The EU motto is 'united in diversity'. Frankly it should be united in diversity, as long as you&rsquo;re white.' Where better for the new Commissioner of Jobs to start than with Europe worst transgressor, its own organisation institution of the EU itself. Why should Member States should take notice of the Commissioner or the President if they fail to get their own House in order. Or does the Commissioner agree with me that when in comes to jobs the EU is institutionally racist?

SOUNDBITE (English), Nicolas SCHMIT, Commissioner-designate, Jobs, I am not naive, I know there are vulnerable populations who are suffering also on the job market. We not only have good principles but we have to give us the right instruments to implement these good principles, everywhere including in our own businesses, our own institutions.

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese), Manuel PIZARRO (S&amp;D, PT), Can you commit to present an European strategy to combating poverty?

SOUNDBITE (English), Nicolas SCHMIT, Commissioner-designate, Jobs, We have to use first the European resources, there is the idea that there is 25%, and the European Parliament proposes more of the funds that are going for inclusion fighting poverty,. [...] It is only a part of an overall strategy, employment, skills, education, housing, housing is fundamental to fight poverty, if people cannot afford a decent housing, they will not come out of poverty, they will not have a job, and this is the vicious circle we have to break.

SOUNDBITE (French), Le&#239;la CHAIBI (GUE/NGL, FR), Do you commit yourself that the incoming directive on platform workers will be discussed from the angle of workers rights rather than from the single market for services?

SOUNDBITE (French), Nicolas SCHMIT, Commissioner-designate, Jobs, We need clear definitions to distinguish self-employees from salary workers. That is what we need to do regarding a new framework for platform workers. [...] We need clear definitions, rules clearly established for all employees and workers, self-employed or salary workers. If every worker has the same rights, maybe it will not be in companies interest to play with words and concepts, and therefore people would be able to chose their status, the one they should have.

SOUNDBITE (English), Nicolas SCHMIT, Commissioner-designate, Jobs, There are many young people who want to be self-employed. We do not want to prohibit them to be self-employed. The second point is that self-employed should have the same social protection rights than other workers, because if do not guarantee some social protection we will have a big problem in the next 10, 20 or 30 years.