EU priorities: Working for a strong social Europe

21 March 2023

The European Council’s Strategic Agenda for 2019–2024, adopted in June 2019, sets out the main priorities to guide the work of the EU. In December 2019, the von der Leyen Commission set out plans for a transition to a fair, climate-neutral and digital Europe. It outlined six top priorities, also reflecting the main priorities for the European Parliament and those in the Council’s Strategic Agenda.

European Council: A new strategic agenda for the EU 2019–2024
European Parliament: Priorities
European Commission: Communication and Annex on a Strong Social Europe for Just Transitions

As part of the priorities outlined by the Commission, a number of initiatives have already been set in motion. However, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and also the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Commission has had to adjust its work programme to prioritise actions needed to support the EU’s recovery as well as support the Member States and citizens of Ukraine. In her third State of the Union address on 14 September 2022, EC President von der Leyen outlined the priorities for the year ahead. The Commission’s 2023 work programme outlines the next steps in its agenda towards delivering on the ambitions the Commission set at the outset of its mandate and further steer the EU towards a sustainable recovery, driven also by the conclusions of the Conference on the Future of Europe. The 2023 programme lists important legislative proposals across all six priorities.

European Commission: 2023 Commission work programme – key documents
European Commission: State of the Union 2022

Eurofound research

Eurofound’s work directly feeds into a number of these key areas and aims to inform effective policies that can lead to recovery and resilience in creating a strong social Europe. This work falls under six main topic areas in our programming document for 2021–2024.

Working conditions and sustainable work Key topic	Industrial relations and social dialogue Key topic	Employment and labour markets Key topic

Living conditions and quality of life Key topic	Anticipating and managing the impact of change Key topic	Promoting social cohesion and convergence Key topic

European Year of Skills 2023

The European Year of Skills 2023 aims to help companies address skills shortages, while also helping people to get the right skills for good quality jobs, promoting reskilling and upskilling. To support the green and digital transitions, Eurofound research informing the policy debate in this area focuses on skills strategies and digitalisaion at workplace level, skills mismatches and labour market slack, as well as employment policies to tackle labour shortages. In the area of working conditions, research related to the impact of COVID-19 can feed into discussions on training and skills development options.

Forthcoming publication: Fostering skills use for sustained business performance: Evidence from the European Company Survey
Forthcoming publication: Measures to tackle labour shortages: Lessons for future policy
Topic: Skills and training

Explore where Eurofound’s research can provide you with the most current findings relevant to the EU policy priorities.

Priority 1: An economy that works for people

Ensuring social fairness and prosperity. This priority includes the following EU initiatives:

European Care Strategy, presented by the Commission on 7 September 2022
Fair minimum wages, with the European Parliament and Member States reaching political agreement on 7 June 2022 on the EU Directive on adequate minimum wages proposed by the Commission in October 2020
European Year of Youth 2022, putting the spotlight on the importance of European youth to build a better future
European Child Guarantee (2021), adopted by the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (EPSCO) in June 2021
European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan, presented by the Commission on 4 March 2021
Reinforced Youth Guarantee, launching the Youth Employment Support package on 1 July 2020, including a Council Recommendation on 'A bridge to jobs - Reinforcing the Youth Guarantee', backed up by significant EU financing under NextGenerationEU

Eurofound topics linked with this EU priority

Minimum wage Topic	Gender equality Topic	Job creation Topic	Youth Topic

Care Topic	Social protection Topic	European Pillar of Social Rights Topic	COVID-19 Topic

Publication highlights

Publication: Economic and social inequalities in Europe in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic
Article: Minimum wage hikes struggle to offset inflation
Publication: Living, working and COVID-19 in the European Union and 10 EU neighbouring countries
Podcast: Care
Publication: COVID-19 pandemic and the gender divide at work and home
Podcast: Living in a new era of uncertainty
Data and resources: Minimum wages pilot project
Publication series: Minimum wages in the EU
Publication: COVID-19 and older people: Impact on their lives, support and care
Podcast: The impact of COVID-19 on young people in the EU
Publication: European Jobs Monitor 2021: Gender gaps and the employment structure
Publication series: European Jobs Monitor
Blogs: All blogs related to COVID-19 research
Publication: Access to care services: Early childhood education and care, healthcare and long-term care
Publication series: European Company Surveys
European Industrial Relations Dictionary: European Semester
Infographics: Youth in the EU; Living, working and COVID-19; Minimum wages; Gender equality

Priority 2: A Europe fit for the digital age

Empowering people with a new generation of technologies. This priority includes the following initiatives:

European Year of Skills 2023, as announced by EC President von der Leyen during her SOTEU address in October 2022
Platform work proposal to protect people working through platforms, putting forward a proposal for a Directive on improving working conditions in platform work on 9 December 2021
Industrial policy focusing on job creation, launching a new industrial strategy for Europe on 10 March 2020, updating it in May 2021 to take account of COVID-19
Europe’s digital decade - 2030 digital targets, proposing a Digital Compass on 9 March 2021 for the EU's digital decade that evolves around four principal points: skills, infrastructures, business and government
Revised Skills Agenda for Europe, adopting the new European Skills Agenda for sustainable competitiveness, social fairness and resilience on 1 July 2020
SME strategy for a sustainable and digital Europe, adopted on 10 March 2020

Eurofound topics linked with this EU priority

Digitalisation Topic	Platform work Topic	New forms of employment Topic	Skills and training Topic

Teleworking Topic	Small and medium-sized enterprises Topic	Job creation Topic

Publication highlights

Publication: The rise in telework: Impact on working conditions and regulations
Podcast: Telework
Podcast: Platform work
Webinar 28 September 2022: LIVE webinar: Regulating platform work – The EU’s big balancing act
Blog: Regulating platform work in Europe: A work in progress
Publication: Telework in the EU: Regulatory frameworks and recent updates
Data and resources: The digital age: Automation, digitisation and platforms (online resource)
Data: Platform economy repository
Publication: Business not as usual: How EU companies adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic
Publication: Digitsation in the workplace
Publication: Right to disconnect: Exploring company practices
Article: Workers want to telework but long working hours, isolation and inadequate equipment must be tackled
Webinar: #AskTheExpert: The rise of the telework generation – What impact for working conditions?
Publication series: New forms of employment
Publication series: European Jobs Monitor
Pilot project: Future of manufacturing in Europe (FOME)

Priority 3: Promoting our European way of life

Protecting our citizens and our values. This priority includes the following initiatives:

European Year of Skills 2023, as announced by EC President von der Leyen during her SOTEU address in October 2022
European Care Strategy, presented by the Commission on 7 September 2022
European Year of Youth 2022, putting the spotlight on the importance of European youth to build a better future
New pact on migration and asylum, presenting a proposal on 23 September 2020 to the European Parliament and Council
Revised Skills Agenda for Europe, adopting the new European Skills Agenda for sustainable competitiveness, social fairness and resilience on 1 July 2020

Publication highlights

Podcast: Living in a new era of uncertainty
Webinar: Watch the video - Joint webinar: Equality and inclusion in a post-pandemic EU
Publication: COVID-19: A turning point for upward convergence in health and healthcare in the EU?
Publication: Tackling labour shortages in EU Member States
Blog: The pandemic aggravated labour shortages in some sectors; the problem is now emerging in others
Publication: Concept and practice of a living wage
Publication: Challenges and prospects in the EU: Quality of life and public services
Publication series: European Quality of Life Surveys

Priority 4: A European Green Deal

Striving to be the first climate-neutral continent. This priority includes the following initiatives:

Fit for 55 package presented in July 2021 as part of the European Green Deal to deliver the EU’s 2030 climate targets
European Climate Law, entered into force in July 2021 and writes into law the goals set out in the European Green Deal
European Green Deal to ensure a transition to a climate-neutral continent which is fair and just for all and where ‘no one will be left behind’

European Green Deal Topic	Innovation Topic	Social policies Topic	Sustainable work Topic

Just Transition Topic

Publication highlights

Article: Measures to lessen the impact of the inflation and energy crisis on citizens
Data story: Energy poverty looms as cost of living increases: Data behind the difficulties
Blog: Is telework really a ‘green’ choice?
Blog: Shifting the focus from energy subsidies to reducing energy dependence
Publication: EU-ANSA mapping report: Socioeconomic aspects of sustainable development
Publication: Exploring the social challenges of low carbon energy policies in Europe
Podcast: Sustainable work
Article: Twin transition and pandemic challenge Eurofound to increase expertise, strengthen partnerships, expand reach, says new Director
Publication: Distributional impacts of climate policies in Europe
Blog: What can companies do to spark innovation in the workplace?
Publication: Employment implications of the Paris Climate Agreement
Pilot project: Future of manufacturing in Europe (FOME)

Priority 5: A stronger Europe in the world

Reinforcing our responsible global leadership. This priority includes the following initiatives:

Ukraine: EU support to help Member States meet the needs of refugees, including the first-ever activation of the Temporary Protection Directive
European Platform tackling undeclared work, set up as a permanent working group at the European Labour Authority (ELA) in May 2021
#EU4FairWork campaign in 2020, the first EU campaign about the benefits of declared work, with participation of the ELA