The European Pillar of Social Rights: going forward together

When?

Monday, 23 January 2017

Where?

European Commission, Brussels, BE

Online

Organised by

European Commission

Event background

The Pillar of Social Rights conference is taking place on 23 January 2017 in Brussels at the initiative of the European Commission. The conference is an important milestone in wrapping up the consultation and defining the future direction of the European Pillar of Social Rights.

Objectives

Throughout 2016, the Commission 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. A consolidated version of the European Pillar of Social Rights should be presented early in 2017.

The Pillar should build on, and complement, the 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.