Labour and skills shortages are one of the main “challenges for European industry in the coming years” and the social partners will have to tackle them in 2024 at a Social Partner Summit co-organised with the Belgian Presidency of the EU Council in Val Duchesse, Belgium, the President of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, announced on Wednesday 13 September.
This Social Summit will echo the one organised 40 years ago in the same place by the President of the Commission, Jacques Delors, which launched European social dialogue.
“Labour and skills shortages are at record levels. 74% of SMEs say they are facing skill shortages”, said Ms von der Leyen. “At the same time millions of parents – mostly mothers – are struggling to reconcile work and family, because there is no childcare. Eight million young people are neither in employment, education or training. So we need to improve access to the labour market”, said the President.
The EU also needs skilled labour immigration. “To do this, we need to draw on the expertise of companies and trade unions, our collective bargaining partners”, she added.
The President’s letter of intent also refers to an initiative on European Works Councils before the end of the legislature, as the Commission had promised the European social partners, who were consulted on the matter (see EUROPE 13230/22).
Disappointment
However, a number of MEPs expressed their disappointment at the lack of a social dimension in this speech.
The Danish MEP from The Left, Nikolaj Villumsen, questioned whether Ms von der Leyen had “realised that the crisis throughout the EU has hit those with the lowest incomes the hardest”. The MEP said he would have liked that the President had proposed a tax on windfall income from the energy sector.
“I would have liked to hear a stronger commitment to the social pillar”, also commented Iratxe García Pérez, the Spanish leader of the S&D group in the European Parliament.
“Inflation, high interest rates and rising mortgage prices are making it difficult to achieve one’s life goals. Social housing is a right, not a commodity to be speculated with. The EU must also guarantee equal pay and equal opportunities for men and women, a living wage and an anti-poverty strategy with binding targets”.
Link to the letter of intent: https://aeur.eu/f/8iu (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)