Members of the European Parliament’s Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL) adopted by written procedure on Monday 16 November, by a solid majority (38 votes in favour, 13 against, 4 abstentions), the own-initiative report by Dennis Radtke (EPP, Germany) and Agnes Jongerius (S&D, Netherlands) in which they call for binding targets in the social field.
“We have learnt the lessons of the Lisbon Agenda, which contained many targets, but none of them were binding”, said MEP Jongerius, who wants fewer, but binding targets. “It is too easy to ignore recommendations”, she added, citing the case of her home country, which has been criticised for many years for having a too flexible labour market.
Thus, in their report, which is being adopted in view of the Action Plan on the European Pillar Social Rights, early 2021, and the Porto Social Summit, scheduled for May 2021, MEPs call for a halving of youth unemployment - and, in this context, call for a binding guarantee for young people (see EUROPE 12593/6).
They also call for 30% of new housing built to be affordable (i.e. social) housing and for an end to the gender pay and pension gap by 2030. They are waiting for a transparent legal framework to do so.
They also call for an end to the practice of “zero hour” contracts, a ratio of at least one labour inspector per 10,000 employees, and an end to work-related deaths by 2030. They invite the Commission to introduce a new framework directive on information and consultation of workers, including for subcontracting chains and franchisees.
They furthermore invite the Commission to create a permanent instrument along the lines of the SURE instrument, which supports national short-time working schemes. (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)