The European Commission intends to launch the consultation on a European unemployment insurance scheme in the 4th quarter of 2020, while the Action Plan to Implement the European Pillar of Social Rights is not expected to be presented until 2021, according to a draft version of the annex to the roadmap to a social Europe, which is due to be presented by the European Commission on Tuesday 14 January, a copy of which EUROPE has obtained.
In the first quarter, following the launch of the first phase of consultation on the instrument to introduce a minimum wage among Member States (scheduled for 14 January - see EUROPE 12387/17), the Commission is expected to present a European gender equality strategy and an updated skills agenda for Europe.
The industrial and SME strategy, which will include a strong social component, will be presented in the second quarter, followed by the demography report and the New Digital Services Act. During the third quarter, the Commission is expected to come up with a proposal to strengthen the Reinforced Youth Guarantee.
The fourth quarter will be by far the busiest. The Commission seems to be planning a platform work summit, a green paper on ageing, and on the European education area, followed by an updated digital education action plan. The Commission is also expected to submit the Europe's Beating Cancer Plan and a long-term vision for rural areas. A consultation on an unemployment insurance scheme is expected to be launched in the last quarter of 2020 as the culmination of the Commission's social action.
At the beginning of 2021, the Commission intends to present an action plan to implement the European pillar of social rights, the children's guarantee, and an action plan for the social economy.
What’s missing?
It should be noted that, for the time being, there is no explicit mention of an initiative on health and safety at work or of an initiative to tackle pay inequalities between men and women. The issue of homelessness in Europe is also not included in this version of the roadmap. (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)