On Thursday, MEPs reiterated their commitment to the European Pillar of Social Rights as a shield to protect health, safety and living conditions.
Following a plenary debate on Wednesday, MEPs adopted a resolution on a roadmap towards a social Europe with 401 votes in favour, 139 against and 41 abstentions as a follow-up on the Porto Social Summit of May 2021.
After the summit, EU lawmakers committed to targets for 2030 regarding employment, training, and poverty. MEPs believe that now is the time to act on these targets. In order to make a fair, social and inclusive Europe a reality, social rights have to be fully protected, safeguarded and placed at the centre of EU policies.
The resolution stresses that the role of the European Pillar of Social Rights cannot be overlooked, and that social aspects should be treated with the same urgency as economic and environmental ones. To do so, MEPs believe that upcoming funding initiatives need proper social investment.
MEPs say that the conclusions of the 2021 Porto Social Summit can serve as a blueprint for Europe’s future and urge the Commission to transfer commitments of the conclusions into legislative instruments. Examples include a Quality Traineeships directive, the European social security pass, and the EU disability card.
Background
On May 7, 2021, the Portuguese Presidency of the Council organised the Porto Social Summit to give political impetus to the European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan and discuss to how to reinvigorate the European Social Model and put the principles of the Pillar into action to benefit EU citizens.
All partners, including late EP President David Sassoli and several MEPs,committed to the three headline targets set in the Action Plan. They agreed at least 78% of people aged 20 to 64 should be in employment; at least 60% of all adults should participate in training every year; and the number of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion should be reduced by at least 15 million, including at least 5 million children.
Source – EU Parliament