On Thursday 4 July, the S&D Group in the European Parliament further refined its priorities for the 2024-2029 term with a new document that was to be the final version, but which had not yet been formally approved.
The group is reportedly waiting for a further meeting with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, next week, before finalising its programme of key requests. It will make an official announcement at that time.
This latest document continues to expand the priority chapters compared with previous versions dated 26 June and 3 July.
In particular, it reinforces the language of the social progress programme.
“This programme should contain a series of legislative proposals and revisions, including: - a directive for a just transition in the world of work; - a directive on artificial intelligence in the workplace; - a revision of the Directive on public procurement to better protect the environment and guarantee fair working conditions through social conditionalities and the strengthening of collective bargaining; - legislation to limit subcontracting chains; - a stronger European Labour Authority; - coordination of social security systems; - a European social security passport; - a revision of the directive on temporary agency work ; - high-quality paid internships; - a directive on the right to disconnect and the conditions for teleworking; - a directive on combating harassment at work; - legislation on the right to training; - in the field of health and safety at work; - legislation on psychosocial risks and the protection of workers against the risks associated with severe climatic events; - legislation on the right of access to high-quality services of general interest”.
On the “European housing strategy in a framework of just transition”, the aim would be to push for: “- a European programme for sustainable and affordable social housing to support national housing policies; - a permanent instrument for public housing; - more help for households, particularly the most vulnerable, to make their homes more energy efficient and more decent by supporting the renovation of existing homes, or to promote the creation of social inclusion programmes for the homeless through emergency housing”. There should also be a Council recommendation on affordable housing to be incorporated into the ‘European Semester’ budget process, and a legislative initiative to regulate short-term rentals.
There is also a chapter on a “people-centred budget and investment capacity to deliver European public goods”.
The “European budget and the future Multiannual Financial Framework should be strengthened beyond the current 1% of EU-27’s GNI” and supported by new own resources (such as pollution taxes, a wealth tax and a financial transaction tax). It is essential that the EU budget includes social conditionality, the document goes on to say.
“At the heart of the endeavour to ensure sustainable financing of our priorities and people’s needs should lie a permanent investment capacity starting by 2027, which we estimate to ensure at least 1% of EU GDP annually of additional public investment funding”.
Link to the latest document: https://aeur.eu/f/cy0 (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)