Commission prepares next steps towards European Pillar of Social Rights

Commission prepares next steps towards European Pillar of Social Rights

Today, the European Commission is taking a further step towards establishing a European Pillar of Social Rights with a high level conference in Brussels. Detailed proposals will follow shortly.The European Commission also announced it would co-host an EU Social Summit with Sweden later this year.

More than 600 participants from

• Member State authorities,.
• EU institutions,.
• social partners.
• civil society,.

including more than 20 national Ministers and several Members of the College of Commissioners, are discussing the results of the public consultation on this European Pillar of Social Rights.

Since the initiative's announcement by President Juncker in September 2015, there has been a wide debate with EU authorities, Member States, social partners, civil society and citizens on the content and role of the Pillar and how to ensure fairness and social justice in Europe.

Today's discussions bring this process to an end and will help the Commission prepare its proposal on the Pillar to be expected in March. At this occasion, President Jean-Claude Juncker announced today that he will host a “Social Summit for Fair Jobs and Growth” together with Sweden's Prime Minister Stefan Löfven in Gothenburg on 17 November 2017.

Background

Delivering on a more social and fair Europe is a key priority for this Commission. In his 2015 State of the Union address President Juncker announced that he wants to develop a European Pillar of Social Rights.

On 8 March 2016, Vice President Dombrovskis and Commissioner Thyssen put forward a first, preliminary outline of this initiative. The Pillar will set out a number of essential principles to support well-functioning and fair labour markets and welfare systems. It has been conceived as a reference framework to

• screen the employment and social performance of participating Member States,.
• drive reforms at national level.
• to serve as a compass for the renewed process of convergence across Europe.

A broad public consultation gave the opportunity to discuss the first ideas presented by the Commission during 2016. This public consultation was concluded at the end of December. The Commission proposal on the European Pillar of Social Rights can be expected in March.

The Social Summit in November will be an opportunity for key stakeholders to

• discuss the policy priorities and initiatives set at European level .
• to see how the European Union, the Member States and social partners at all levels can deliver on their shared economic and social priorities.

It will seek to gather Heads of State or Government, social partners and other key players so they work together to promote fair jobs and growth.

Conference on European Pillar of Social Rights

You can find out more about the conference on our event page.