Brussels, 08/03/2016 (Agence Europe) - The initiative to establish a European pillar of social rights is taking shape. On Tuesday 8 March, the Commission launched a public consultation to define the main guidelines of this social convergence instrument. The different interested parties have until the end of the year to make their comments.
Marianne Thyssen, the commissioner for social affairs, stated “globalisation, the digital revolution and new business models are having an unprecedented impact on our way of working. We have to be ready to anticipate and influence these trends and this evolution. We have to ask ourselves the following fundamental questions: are our social policies, in their broadest sense, in the European Union and member states adapted to the 21st-century? How can we ensure the sustainability of the European social model? Today's launch of the consultation is a first step towards introducing the European pillar of social rights”.
The European pillar of social rights seeks to introduce a reference framework for assessing member states' performances in the fields of employment and social inclusion and encourage convergence between the states. The Commission would like to apply this instrument to eurozone member states, whilst allowing the others to participate in it on a voluntary basis.
This announced package explains that “the European pillar of social rights will define a certain number of essential principles, in order to guarantee the effective functioning and fairness of the labour markets and social systems in the eurozone”. It consists of four documents: a general communication including consultation questions, an annex presenting the main principles and values underpinning the pillar and two working documents: one on the current social acquis and the other on the recent changes on the labour markets and in our societies.
The public consultation is open until 31 December 2016. It is open to the other European institutions, the national authorities and national parliaments, social partners, stakeholders from civil society, experts from academia and citizens. The results will help the Commission present a consolidated version of the European pillar of social rights in spring 2017. (Original version in French by Sophie Petitjean)