Brussels, 8 November 2012

STATEMENT BY EMMANUEL JACOB, PRESIDENT OF EUROMIL,

ON THE OCCASION OF THE EUROPEAN DAY OF ACTION AND SOLIDARITY,

14 NOVEMBER 2012

The European Organisation of Military Associations (EUROMIL), an umbrella organization composed of 43 military associations and trade unions from 28 countries, joins the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) call for a European Day of Action and Solidarity on 14 November 2012 to mobilise in favour of employment and solidarity and against austerity.

EUROMIL is the main Europe-wide forum for cooperation among professional military associations on issues of common concern. The organisation strives to secure and advance the human rights, fundamental freedoms and socio-professional interests of military personnel of all ranks in Europe and promotes the concept of "Citizen in Uniform". As such, a soldier is entitled to the same rights and obligations as any other citizen.

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The European Trade Unions are protesting against austerity measures "...dragging Europe into economic stagnation, indeed recession with the result that growth has stopped and unemployment is rising inexorably. Cuts to salaries and social protection are attacking the European social model, worsening imbalances and fostering injustice." (ETUC Press Release 5/11/2012)

Since EUROMIL signed a cooperation agreement with the ETUC in 1998, it supported the European Trade Union movement on several occasions, such as recently during the Euro-demonstrations in Brussels in September 2010 and in Budapest in April 2011.

European armed forces and their military personnel are not spared by the negative impact of the severe austerity measures and defence budget cuts induced by the economic and financial crisis. Soldiers have to pay twice for this crisis. Firstly as civilians, they have to share the efforts every citizen is making by, for instance, paying new taxes, having their income reduced and their social security systems cut. Secondly as soldiers, they have to assume the consequences of the cutbacks in their defence budgets! Defence budgets only consisting of a few pillars, namely training and operations, investments and personnel, soldiers are always affected by budget cuts: poor training and preparation for military operations abroad would put soldiers in danger; a lack of investments would induce inadequate equipment for those sent out in missions, which would jeopardize their safety; and a reduction of the number of personnel would have important human consequences.

Despite the financial and economic crisis, soldiers' terms and conditions of employment must be maintained to the greatest extent possible. Above all, what military associations cannot accept is an outrageous regression of established rights.

The armed forces are composed of human beings who have chosen to serve their country as citizens in uniform. The fact that these men and women happen to be wearing a uniform does not negate their rights as citizens of that country. EUROMIL strongly regrets that some European countries continue to impose undue restrictions on the right of association for military personnel and particularly calls for the recognition of the right of servicemen and -women to form and join trade unions and independent associations and that these are included in a regular social dialogue by the authorities. Soldiers are highly-skilled employees, who have the legitimate right to promote their social and professional interests - as do other workers.

Emmanuel Jacob,

EUROMIL President