Marianne Thyssen, the commissioner for employment and social affairs, stressed during a high level conference in Sofia on Wednesday 27 June the need for all stakeholders (member states, local and regional authorities, civil society and social partners) to shoulder their share of responsibility in order to implement the European social rights pillar.
“The Commission is taking action. We don’t believe rules are the answer to everything, certainly not European rules”, the commissioner told his audience. Thyssen thus pointed out that member states were mainly responsible for social policy.
“This also places a great responsibility on your shoulders”, she said clearly, going on to add that the Commission can help through monitoring and guidance. “But there is no ownership without investment. This is true of a phone, a car and a house. And it is also true of the social rights pillar””, she added. In this respect, the commissioner underlined alignment of the budgetary “European Semester” process on the principles of the pillar, which is to be found “at every level”.
During the exchange of views, the European Semester in its renewed version, with a reinforced social chapter, received broad support from member states. Some, including Sweden, the Netherlands and Croatia, underlined the importance of respecting subsidiarity.
The social partners for their part highlighted the fact that the ministers of the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (EPSCO) were to play an active role in the discussions on the next multiannual financial framework. Some deplored budget cuts in the field of cohesion policy (see EUROPE 12037). (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)