The cure for Europe
The Secretary for European Affairs, Jarosław Pietras, claimed that the current impasse on the Services Directive is "wasting" Europe's development potential.
"Services make up only 20 percent of the inter-EU trade while they create over 50 percent of the bloc's GDP and provide jobs for 40 percent of EU citizens," Pietras told a press breakfast last week.
He claims that resolution of labor liberalization is essential for improving the economic situation in Europe. The issue has raised a lot of concerns in many Western European countries fearing the mythical 'Polish plumber' and 'social dumping'.
Once again Pietras dismissed social dumping allegations.
"It is not our goal to keep wages in Poland low," he explained. Pietras stated that the liberalization of services can only go along with removing barriers for the freedom of movement of labor. "Otherwise we can't speak about providing services," he said.
The Minister underlined the advantages for 'old' Europe of liberalizing the services market as the prices of services would go down and new services would be available. He sees no alternative to removing barriers for service movement, saying that any other proposition is "fleeing from necessity." As for Poland, he said: "We have great potential for development in the services sector, it is a great chance for us. Therefore we should support the Services Directive."
"Services make up only 20 percent of the inter-EU trade while they create over 50 percent of the bloc's GDP and provide jobs for 40 percent of EU citizens," Pietras told a press breakfast last week.
He claims that resolution of labor liberalization is essential for improving the economic situation in Europe. The issue has raised a lot of concerns in many Western European countries fearing the mythical 'Polish plumber' and 'social dumping'.
Once again Pietras dismissed social dumping allegations.
"It is not our goal to keep wages in Poland low," he explained. Pietras stated that the liberalization of services can only go along with removing barriers for the freedom of movement of labor. "Otherwise we can't speak about providing services," he said.
The Minister underlined the advantages for 'old' Europe of liberalizing the services market as the prices of services would go down and new services would be available. He sees no alternative to removing barriers for service movement, saying that any other proposition is "fleeing from necessity." As for Poland, he said: "We have great potential for development in the services sector, it is a great chance for us. Therefore we should support the Services Directive."
