The Ministers for Employment and Social Affairs will be invited by the Croatian Presidency of the EU Council to adopt conclusions on well-being at work at the Employment and Social Policy Council on 19 March. They will also be invited to an exchange of views on demographic challenges as well as on the roadmap presented by the European Commission for a strong social Europe for just transitions, according to the latest documents submitted to the Ambassadors to the EU (Coreper I).
In the conclusions, which follow up on the concept of 'economy of well-being' put forward by the Finnish Presidency of the EU Council (see EUROPE 12291/12), the ministers are to call for the development of a cross-sectoral European impact assessment of well-being at work in order to be able to base and calibrate the policies and actions to be undertaken in the best possible way.
They should also commit themselves to working to ensure good quality and affordable early childhood education and care, as well as long-term care services. In general, the conclusions emphasise the role of the social partners and investment in social areas, in particular to promote corporate social responsibility.
On demographic challenges, the policy debate will be structured on the measures to be taken to help the regions most affected by demographic decline (due to increased mobility within the EU). Here the Presidency will seek to determine how EU funds can be used to meet these challenges. Finally, it will survey Member States on possible measures that could be taken at European level to address this phenomenon.
With regard to the social roadmap (see EUROPE 12403/6) presented by the Commission at the beginning of the year, the Presidency expects first of all Ministers to say whether the vision of the institution corresponds to their expectations and whether there are any blind spots or omissions in the said communication. (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)