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Public consultation on the European Pillar of Social Rights

14/9/2016

Public consultation on the European Pillar of Social Rights

On 8 March 2016, the European Commission put forward a first, preliminary outline of what should become the European Pillar of Social Rights. As mentioned by President Juncker in his State of the Union address on 9 September 2015, "I believe we do well to start with this initiative within the euro area, while allowing other Member States to join in if they wish to do so". The Pillar will identify a number of essential principles common to euro area Member States, focusing on their needs and challenges in the field of employment and social policies. 

Throughout 2016, the Commission has engaged in a debate with EU authorities, social partners, civil society and citizens on the content and role of the Pillar to move towards a deeper and fairer Economic and Monetary Union. The outcome of this debate should feed into  a final text of the European Pillar of Social Rights.

The Pillar should build on, and complement, our EU social "acquis" in order to guide policies in a number of fields essential for well-functioning and fair labour markets and welfare systems. The principles proposed do not replace existing rights, but offer a way to assess and, in the future, approximate for the better the performance of national employment and social policies.

Once established, the Pillar should become the reference framework to screen the employment and social performance of participating Member States, to drive reforms at national level and, more specifically, to serve as a compass for the renewed process of convergence within the euro area.

Within this framework, the European Commission Representation in Greece organized a discussion on 13.09.16 which was attended by Minister of Labour, Social Insurance and Social Solidarity George Katrougalos and coordinated by the Head of Representation Panos Karvounis. Keynote speakers were Director General of DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion Michel Servoz and the Deputy Ministers of Labour Ourania Andonopoulou and Theano Photiou. During the discussion there was a detailed report on employment support and social inclusion measures implemented in our country, co-financed by the European Social Fund.

The online consultation will run until December 31, 2016 and the consolidated version of the European Social Rights Pillar will be presented in early 2017.

Take part in the public consultation! 

More info here

 

News type

Public body

European Commission

Last modification date: 23/9/2016