MEPs renewed their call to strengthen the social dimension of the ‘European Semester’ budgetary procedure in connection with the European Pillar of Social Rights, in a controversial own-initiative report by Helmut Geuking (EPP, Germany), adopted without much excitement in the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (15 in favour, 11 against, 29 abstentions) on Monday 28 February.
MEPs repeated several demands, notably on the social dimension, but also on the democratisation of the ‘European Semester’ budgetary procedure. They renewed their call for a legislative initiative to better protect workers from the risks of mental illness related to remote work.
Generally, they advocate that the objectives of the European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan should be taken into account. They call for full implementation of the Child Guarantee and for €20 billion to be secured meet the related targets.
MEPs believe that the Child Guarantee should be extended to complement national family allowance schemes. They believe the legislation should address the right to disconnect and regulate the use of digital tools. The text stresses the need for action to address labour shortages.
It was difficult for several observers to determine the final content of the report. The negotiations were reportedly outlandish, with somewhat strange proposals from the rapporteur (see EUROPE 12866/18).
Many proposals from S&D, Greens/EFA, and The Left were not adopted, such as the exclusion of social and green public investments from the calculation of deficit and debt in the fiscal rules or the integration of a social progress protocol in the treaties. This explains the high level of abstention.
One source hopes that the report will be rebalanced in the plenary session. A joint debate between the EMPL Committee and the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON) on the ‘European Semester’ is scheduled for Wednesday 9 March. (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)