SEK prepares for the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU 2012
SEK, via seminars of its Trade Union School, shall start preparing its officers and union representatives to play their role as social partners during the second half of 2012 when Cyprus shall hold the Presidency of the Council of the EU.
On 26-27 January 2011 SEK Trade Union School organizes two seminars with very distinguished experts. These two seminars are addressed for the leadership of SEK and its Federations as well as the heads of the departments of the Confederation.
The seminars shall deal with the Lisbon Treaty and its impact on trade unions and the workers as well as on the Organizations of Public Interest (semi-governmental organizations or public authorities, as called in Cyprus).
The guest speakers are Dr. Eric Van de Abeele (expert of the Belgian Presidency and University Professor), Dr. Filip Dorssemont (Law Professor at the Université Catholique de Louvain) and Cécile Barbier (expert at the Observatoire Social Européen on treaty affairs among others). The team of experts shall also include Dr. Constantinos Kompos, Law Professor at the Department of Law of the University of Cyprus.
The same topics shall be the focus of the annual retreat of SEK officers during the month of March 2011. These annual seminars at the training centre of SEK Trade Union School at the OEKDY resort at Protaras shall give the opportunity to all professional staff of SEK, its Federations and District Labour Centres as well the union officials of the semi-public organizations to learn and explore the issues created through the Treaty of Lisbon, the changes that are coming and be able to deal with all trade union issues during the Cyprus Presidency of 2012.
Additionally, on 10 May 2011 a specialized seminar on dealing exclusively with the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the latter half of 2012. The participants of this seminar shall be the members of the Executive Committee of SEK and other officials of the Confederation. The trainers and experts at this seminar shall be Dr. Constantinos Kompos, Law Professor at the Department of Law of the University of Cyprus, Preben Folberg, head of LO's Office in Brussels and the trainers of SEK Trade Union School. Also, the Head of the Secretariat of Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU, Dr. Andreas Moleskis shall participate to present the so far preparations and programme of the Cyprus Presidency.
In order to complete the briefing on EU issues at this point, SEK Trade Union School shall hold seminars during the first half of 2011 at all districts addressed to shop stewards and local union officers.
