The 13th Ministerial Conference, which took place from 26 February to 2 March 2024, was unable to lead the World Trade Organisation out of its deadlock. The organisation has been in crisis for some time and has been deemed incapable of acting since 2019. The reasons for this are to be found in long-standing structural weaknesses, which are exacerbated by current geopolitical developments. Socially and environmentally sustainable global trade remains out of reach.

The European Parliament's Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs will soon be voting on two controversial topics: At the beginning of April 2024, a vote will be held on the introduction of the digital euro as a new means of payment. The EU Commission's Retail Investment Strategy, which has received far less public attention, will be put to the vote on 20 March 2024. The AK is calling for improvements for consumers.

Following tough negotiations between Council and the EU Parliament, agreement was reached at 2 a.m. on 10 February 2024 on a new framework for the EU's economic governance. This remains limited to restrictive debt rules. At least these are now more meaningful than before. Nevertheless, they could result in cuts in the social sector and slow down the urgently needed increase in public investment.

On 1 February 2024, the Council and the European Parliament reached an agreement on the so-called Single Market Emergency Instrument, which was proposed by the EU Commission in September 2022. The aim of this instrument is to ensure the supply of goods and services as well as the free movement of goods, services and persons for people and businesses even in times of crisis. However, the instrument has weaknesses that are to the detriment of employees.

On 19 February, the Brussels Office of the Austrian Chamber of Labour (AK EUROPA) organised the event "EU Job Guarantee. Right to decent work for all?"

For some years now, the EU has been severely affected by massive crises: the worst pandemic in more than a hundred years, the worst military aggression on European territory in 80 years owing to Russia's attack on Ukraine, the biggest energy crisis since the 1970s, the highest inflation rate since the euro was created, geopolitical upheavals and, as a result, refugee movements to the EU and a constantly worsening climate crisis. This accumulation of crises is having a significant impact on the EU budget, which requires appropriate adjustments.

In November 2023, the EU Parliament has adopted its position on the Forced Labour Regulation proposed by the EU Commission, followed by the Council in January 2024. Trilogue negotiations will begin shortly. Together with civil society organisations and trade unions, AK EUROPA points out in this open letter essential elements that the proposed regulation should contain in order to effectively combat forced labour.

The Austrian Federal Chamber of Labour (AK) strictly rejects the new principle of "priority for SMEs" in the SME relief package, because prioritizing SMEs raises fears of negative effects for all other interests (consumers, employees, climate, etc.) and thus no balance with other policy areas is possible.

On 24 January, the EU's trade and investment agreement with Chile is on the agenda of the Committee on International Trade (INTA) and on 29 February the vote will be held in the European Parliament’s plenary session.

The Austrian Federal Chamber of Labour (AK) and the Austrian Trade Union Federation (ÖGB) resolutely oppose the agreement with Chile.

The proposal aims to clearly regulate access to, sharing and use of personal financial data. By facilitating access to data, the Commission wants to promote innovation and data-based business models in the EU financial sector. These ambitions are inevitably in tension with the fundamental rights to data protection and privacy, which take precedence over purely economic interests.