There will be no new national agreement unless employment standards are protected, Siptu general secretary Joe O'Flynn warned this morning.
Addressing a seminar on the controversial EU draft Services Directive in Cork, Mr O'Flynn said "powerful vested interests" were trying to denigrate labour protections in their drive to exploit larger markets.
Mr O'Flynn said this project was being pursued "without having to accept any responsibility for the social consequences".
He acknowledged there were benefits to the free movement of goods, labour and services across the EU but said it is "also important to be aware of the potential dangers".
He said the controversial county of origin principle had largely been removed from the Services Directive but said but this only came about because of the unprecedented campaign by the European trade union movement.
Other speakers at the seminar include Labour MEP Proinsias de Rossa and Fine Gael MEP Simon Coveney.