On Monday 20 November, the European Commission announced the launch of the second cycle of discussions with social partners on access to social protection and employment services for employees and the self-employed.
On this occasion, the Commissioner for Employment and Social Affairs, Marianne Thyssen, stated, “Today, we are launching another concrete initiative as part of the European pillar of social rights”. She highlighted the fact that workers with traditional or atypical contracts “should be covered by social protection systems on the basis of the contributions they have made”. The Commissioner believes that this is an imperative if we are to have, “an appropriate, sustainable and fair” social protection system.
A Commission press release explained that the labour market had significantly evolved over recent years. It also pointed out that in 2016 almost 40% of workers in the European Union were self-employed or working in atypical jobs, with a risk of not having sufficient access to social protection and related services.
On the basis of article 153 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, the Commission is therefore calling on social partners to inform the European Commission if they are ready to negotiate or not (they have seven weeks to reply). The Commission intends to present a proposal in the first half of next year.
Last Friday, the three institutions of the EU adopted the European pillar of social rights (see EUROPE 11907). In this non-binding text, part of it in chapter III focuses on social protection and inclusion. In article 12, it points out that, “employees and, in comparable conditions, the self-employed, have a right to adequate social protection, whatever kind of work they do irrespective of how long it is undertaken”. (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)