MEPs reiterated the relevance of the social objectives set in Porto in May 2021 and the need to continue implementing them (see EUROPE 12716/3), by adopting, by 401 votes to 139 with 41 abstentions, a resolution on a ‘Roadmap on a Social Europe’, on Thursday 11 May in Strasbourg.
At the time, the EU27 had committed themselves to achieving three objectives by 2030 in the fields of employment, training and the fight against poverty: 78% of the population aged 20-64 should be in employment, 60% of adults should participate in training each year and the number of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion should be reduced by 15 million compared to 2019.
The adopted resolution stresses that “the role of the European pillar of social rights cannot be neglected and that social aspects must be treated with the same urgency as economic and environmental aspects”, summarises a European Parliament communiqué.
MEPs call on the Commission to turn the 2021 commitments into legislative instruments, for example via a directive on quality internships, the European social security passport or the EU disability card.
The EU Commission and EU Council are further called upon to take action to mitigate “the impact of the crises on citizens and on Member States’ labour markets in order to maintain high employment rates and social contributions through the creation of quality jobs”.
Member States and social partners should also strive to increase collective bargaining coverage by at least 80% by 2030 to improve living and working conditions in the EU.
With 21.7% of the EU’s population (95.4 million people) at risk of poverty or exclusion in 2021, in-work poverty must also be tackled by ensuring decent wages, says the resolution.
During the debate on Wednesday 10 May, the Swedish Minister for EU Affairs, Jessika Roswall, noted the progress made since 2021 with the adoption of the directive on adequate minimum wages or on wage transparency. The Swedish Presidency also hopes to reach an agreement in June on workers on digital platforms.
But some MEPs, such as French MEP Leïla Chaibi (The Left), consider this progress insufficient, as the directive on adequate minimum wages does not set “any thresholds”. The MEP is also concerned about the work in the EU Council on platform workers.
The German MEP, Dennis Radtke (EPP), said that a real strategy against poverty is needed as the middle class is also seeing its standard of living fall. Dutch MEP Agnes Jongerius (S&D) stressed the need to provide adequate social safety nets.
Other MEPs, such as Sweden’s Sara Skyttedal (EPP), questioned the EU’s competence to initiate social legislation, as it does not respect “the principle of subsidiarity”.
Link to the resolution and adopted amendments: https://aeur.eu/f/6u5 (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)