Member States’ ambassadors to the EU (Coreper I) approved on Wednesday 7 October the provisional institutional agreement on improving cooperation between public employment services and, in particular, its extension until 31 December 2027.
The EU Council therefore gives the go-ahead to the provisional agreement reached on 24 September, which ratifies the Commission's proposal (see EUROPE 12513/26) and in particular adds the objectives of the European pillar of social rights and the Sustainable Development Goal (SDGs). The co-legislators added the consideration of issues related to digital and climate change as well as the changing work environment (teleworking). The emphasis is on prevention, to avoid unemployment, and the fight against long-term unemployment.
Furthermore, at the request of the European Parliament, the text stresses the importance of coordinating social security systems for cross-border activities. However, the EU Council opposed the introduction of this measure in the body of the text. Therefore, the European Parliament accepted the Commission's suggestion to include it in the recitals.
The text was supported by all Member States, with the exception of Hungary, we are told, because of the reference to ‘gender equality’. Now the agreement is to be voted on in the European Parliament Employment and Social Affairs Committee on 15 October. The agreement will then be submitted to the plenary session in November. (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)