Trade Unions could seek European standards on a minimum wage, employment conditions and legal rights at work after European and Monetary Union, according to IMPACT general secretary, Mr Peter McLoone.

Addressing a seminar on the single European currency today, Mr McLoone will call on trade unions to "fundamentally change" their approach to participating in national agreements to maximise effective participation at a European level. "We have to start now to ensure effective participation by trade unions at a European level, to get access to European political structures, to ensure the agenda is not dominated by economics, but includes specific measures on employment, social exclusion and poverty," he will tell the conference.

He stresses that trade unions were not complacent about the challenges posed by EMU but noted several potential problems that would require a partnership approach.