From Gothenburg to Porto: Upward convergence through the European Pillar of Social Rights

This policy brief assesses upward convergence across the EU since the 2017 European Pillar of Social Rights (EPSR) proclamation. Using the headline indicators of the Social Scoreboard and applying Eurofound’s convergence framework, which is grounded in scientific literature and the most commonly used statistical measures of convergence, the analysis examines the key dimensions of the EPSR. The results show that significant progress has been made in core labour market indicators, such as employment and unemployment.

However, challenges remain. Improvements have been rather limited in reducing overall poverty and housing cost burdens. Divergence is evident in areas such as basic digital skills and household disposable income, indicating widening disparities. Critically, indicators in fundamental areas such as the disability employment gap and self-reported unmet needs for medical care show concerning downward trends. Furthermore, the analysis reveals that, despite aggregate improvements, inclusive growth has not reached all socio-demographic groups, with vulnerable groups experiencing widening relative disparities. The findings offer crucial insights for the new EPSR Action Plan and the upcoming Porto Social Forum Summit in September 2025.