COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS Establishing a European Pillar of Social Rights
Date: 2017-04-26
Institutions: Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, European Commission
Subjects: EU employment policy, European social policy, economic policy, euro area, labour market, social dialogue (EU), social integration, social rights, social security, working conditions

EN 

   EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 26.4.2017  COM(2017) 250 final   COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS Establishing a European Pillar of Social Rights {SWD(2017) 200 final} {SWD(2017) 201 final} {SWD(2017) 206 final}  
 
 
"We  have  to  step  up  the  work  for  a  fair  and  truly  pan-European  labour  market.  As  part  of 
these efforts, I will want to develop a European Pillar of Social Rights, which takes account of 
the changing realities of Europe’s societies and the world of work. And which can serve as a 
compass  for  the  renewed  convergence  within  the  euro  area.  This  European  Pillar  of  Social 
Rights  should  complement  what  we  have  already  jointly  achieved  when  it  comes  to  the 
protection  of  workers  in  the  EU.  I  believe  we  do  well  to  start  with  this  initiative  within  the 
euro area, while allowing other EU Member States to join in if they want to do so."  

President Jean-Claude Juncker, State of the Union Address, 

European Parliament, 9 September 2015    

1. Introduction  

Building  a  more  inclusive  and  fairer  Union  is  a  key  priority  for  this  European 
Commission.1  Since  the  announcement  by  President  Juncker  of  the  establishment  of  a 
European Pillar of Social Rights, the Commission has been engaging actively with all relevant 
stakeholders at all levels. In March 2016, it presented a preliminary outline of the European 
Pillar  of  Social  Rights  and  launched  a  broad  public  consultation  to  gather  feedback.2              
In January 2017, building on stakeholders' events and input from across Europe, a high-level 
conference was organised to conclude the consultation.3  

Today,  the  Commission  is  presenting  the  results  of  this  public  consultation,  together 
with  its  final  proposal  for  the  European  Pillar  of  Social  Rights.  The  Pillar  sets  out  a 
number of key principles and rights to support fair and well-functionning labour markets and 
welfare  systems.  As  highlighted  in  the  Five  Presidents’  Report  on  completing  Europe’s 
Economic  and  Monetary  Union,4  this  is  also  essential  for  building  more  resilient  economic 
structures.  This  is  why  the  Pillar  is  designed  as  a  compass  for  a  renewed  process  of 
convergence  towards  better  working  and  living  conditions  among  participating  Member 
States. It is primarily conceived for the euro area but open to all EU Member States.  

Delivering  on  these  principles  and  rights  is  a  joint  responsibility.  Most  of  the  tools 
required to deliver on the Pillar are in the hands of local, regional and national authorities, as 
well as the social partners, and civil society at large. The European Union – and the European 
Commission  in  particular  –  can  help  by  setting  the  framework,  giving  the  direction  and 
establishing a  level-playing  field,  in  full respect  of the specificies  of  national circumstances 
and institutional set-ups. While this is essential, action at EU level will need to be supported 
and followed up at all levels of responsibility. 

1 See Political Guidelines for the next European Commission, "A New Start for Europe: My Agenda for Jobs, 
Growth, Fairness and Democratic Change", 15 July 2014. 
2 See COM(2016) 127 final of 8 March 2016. 
3 See results from the public consulation in the accompanying document SWD(2017) 206  of 26 April 2017. 
4 See Five Presidents’ Report on Completing Europe’s Economic and Monetary Union of 22 June 2015. 

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The discussion on the social dimension of Europe is part of the broader debate initiated 
on  the  future  of  the  EU27.  The  Commission’s  White  Paper  on  the  Future  of  Europe5  
has begun a wide-ranging discussion on what future we want for ourselves, for our children 
and for Europe. The reflection paper on the social dimension of Europe,6 published alongside 
the package on the European Pillar of Social Rights, focuses on the profound transformations 
European societies and the world of work will undergo in the coming decade, and it sets out a 
number  of  options  on  how  we  can  collectively  respond,  by  building  a  Europe  that  protects, 
empowers  and  defends.  The  Rome  Declaration  adopted  by  EU 
leaders  on  
25 March 2017 outlined the importance of a social Europe. The Social Summit for Fair Jobs 
and Growth, to be held in Gothenburg on 17 November 2017, will be a further opportunity to 
take these ideas forward. 

This  Communication presents the European Pillar of Social Rights and outlines a way 
forward  for  its  implementation.  The  Communication  is  accompanied  by  a  number  of 
legislative  and  non-legislative  initiatives  related  to  work-life  balance,  information  for 
workers,  access  to  social  protection  and  working  time.  In  the  logic  of  the  Pillar,  these 
proposals,  once  adopted,  will  update  and  complement  the  EU  acquis.  The  text  of  the  Pillar 
itself is supported by a staff working document which provides more detailed explanations on 
each  of  the  principles  and  rights.7    Moreover,  a  social  scoreboard  has  been  established  to 
monitor  progress  on  the  ground.8  This  will  serve  to  track  trends  and  performances  across 
countries and to inform policy guidance in the context of the European Semester of economic 
policy coordination. For the EU as a whole, the scoreboard will also serve to assess progress 
towards its ̔social triple Aʼ. 

2. The rationale behind the European Pillar of Social Rights 

The European Pillar of Social Rights is presented with today's and tomorrow's realities 
in mind. In spite  of recent improvements in  economic and social  conditions across Europe, 
the legacy of the crisis of the last decade is still far-reaching, from long-term unemployment 
and youth unemployment to risks of poverty in many parts of Europe. At the same time, every 
Member State is facing the rapid changes taking place in our societies and the world of work.   
As  recalled  in  the  reflection  paper  on  the  social  dimension  of  Europe,  there  are  as  many 
challenges as there are opportunities. The EU is home to the most advanced welfare systems 
in the world and to a wealth of best practices and social innovations, but it needs to confront 
and adapt to unpredecented societal challenges.  

5 See COM(2017) 2025 of 1 March 2017. 
6 See COM(2017) 206 of 26 April 2017. 
7 See SWD(2017) 201 of 26 April 2017. 
8 See SWD(2017) 200 of 26 April 2017. 

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In this context, the European Pillar of  Social Rights  is about delivering new and more 
effective rights for citizens. The 20 principles and rights enshrined in the Pillar are structured 
around  three  categories:  equal  opportunities  and  access  to  the  labour  market,  fair  working 
conditions and social protection and inclusion. They place the focus on how to deliver on the 
promise  in  the  Treaties  of  a  highly  competitive  social  market  economy,  aiming  at  full 
employment and social progress. While the principles and rights are shared, their delivery is 
not assumed to take place through a "one-size-fits-all" approach: the Pillar acknowledges the 
diversity of situations and  the varying means available to achieve these common goals. 

The final proposal of the European Pillar of Social Rights presented today has benefited 
from  the  numerous  contributions  gathered  during  the  public  consultation  (see  Box  1). 
Following  the  consultation,  a  number  of  parameters  were  refined  as  compared  to  the 
preliminary outline of March 2016.  

Box 1. The consultation on the European Pillar of Social Rights  

From  March  until  December  2016,  the  Commission  carried  out  a  public  consultation  to  gather 
feedback on a preliminary outline of the Pillar. This was also the opportunity to reflect on the future 
of work and welfare systems, on whether the EU legal "acquis" was still fit for purpose, and on the 
possible role of the Pillar in the governance of the Economic and Monetary Union. 

The consultation allowed for a wide-ranging discussion with the other EU Institutions, with national 
governments  and  parliaments,  experts  and  civil  society  at  large.  The  social  partners  played  
a  specific  role  through  dedicated    hearings  involving  the  EU,  national  cross-industry  organisations 
and  EU  sectoral  federations.  Over  60  dedicated  events  took  place  across  Europe,  involving  beyond 
2,500  participants.  At  national  level,  dedicated  consultation  events  were  held  in  27  Member  States. 
More than 16,500 replies were received to the online dedicated questionnaire. A high-level conference 
took place on 23 January 2017 to wrap up the consultation process. 

The European Parliament adopted a Resolution on the Pillar on 19 January 2017.9 The Committee of 
the  Regions  adopted  an  Opinion  on  11  October  201610  and  the  European  Economic  and  Social 
Committee  on  25  January  2017.11  The  Commission  also  received  contributions  from  21  national 
governments,12 and ministers discussed the Pillar in various sessions of the Council. 

the  crisis, 

The  consultation  has  identified  four  broad  trends  that  the  Pillar  should  address:  (i)  the  social 
consequences  of 
inequalities  and 
unemployment,  low  growth  and  competitiveness;  (ii)  the  future  of  work  and  the  emerging  digital 
labour  market;  (iii)  demographic  developments,  namely  the  ageing  of  Europe's  population;  and  
(iv)  economic  divergence  across  Member  States.  These  concerns  have  guided  the  design  of  the 
European Pillar of Social Rights presented today.  

increasing  poverty  and  exclusion, 

including 

9 2016/2095(INI). 
10 CDR 2868/2016. 
11 SOC/542-01902-00-01-ac. 
12 Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, 
Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Sweden and the UK. 

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Overall, the consultation showed support for the European Pillar of Social Rights, as an opportunity 
to deliver on a more social Europe. At the same time, it confirmed that Europe’s economic and social 
challenges are interlinked and require consistent action at all levels. In particular, many respondents 
pointed to the fact that the purpose of the Pillar should not be to harmonise social policy across the 
EU.  

A  more  detailed  summary  of  the  consultation  is  presented  in  the  staff  working  document  published 
alongside this Communication.13 

These challenges take a specific meaning for the completion of Europe's Economic and 
Monetary  Union,  as  stressed  in  the  Five  Presidents'  Report  of  June  2015.14  This  is  not 
just a social necessity, it is also an economic imperative. Employment and social conditions 
vary widely across the euro area, partly as a result of the crisis but also partly resulting from 
the imbalances built up in the years before the crisis. As the Report points out, efficient and 
resilient  labour  markets  that  promote  a  high  level  of  employment  and  are  able  to  absorb 
shocks  without  generating  unemployment  are  essential  for  the  smooth  functioning  of  the 
Economic  and  Monetary  Union.  Over  time,  they  contribute  to  the  convergence  of 
performances  between  Member  States  and  to  more  inclusive  societies.  Beyond  labour 
markets, it is also important to ensure that every citizen has access to adequate education and 
that an effective social protection system is in place to protect the most vulnerable in society, 
including  a  "social  protection  floor".  Finally,  the  Report  highlights  the  need  to  go  a  step 
further and push for a deeper integration of national labour markets by facilitating geographic 
and professional mobility. This calls for a fair and enforceable level-playing field for public 
authorities, workers and business alike. 

The Pillar is therefore primarily conceived for the Member States of the euro area but 
applicable to all Member States that wish to be part of it.  

13 See SWD(2017) 206 of 26 April 2017. 
14  See "Completing Europe's Economic and Monetary Union", Report by Jean-Claude Juncker, in cooperation 
with Donald Tusk, Jeroen Dijsselbloem, Mario Draghi and Martin Schulz, June 2015. 

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3. The political and legal nature of the Pillar 

The  Pillar  takes  direct  inspiration  from  the  existing  wealth  of  good  practices  across 
Europe, and builds on the strong body of law which exists at EU and international level. 
Many of these values were already enshrined in the Rome Treaties in 1957 and have gained 
further global recognition due to the work of international bodies such as the United Nations,  
the  International  Labour  Organisation  and  the  Council  of  Europe.  In  particular,  the  Pillar 
draws on both the European Social Charter signed at Turin on 18 October 1961 and the 1989 
Community  Charter  of  the  Fundamental  Social  Rights  of  Workers,  which  set  out  essential 
social  rights.  At  the  same  time,  the  EU  "social  acquis"  has  also  developed  over  the  last  30 
years as  a  result  of new provisions in  the Treaties, the adoption of the European Charter  of 
Fundamental Rights, new legislation and the case law of the Court of Justice of the European 
Union. More recently, the adoption of the UN Sustainable Development Goals for 2030 has 
provided  a  new  agenda  to  address  poverty  eradication  and  the  economic,  social  and 
environmental dimensions of sustainable development in a balanced and integrated manner. 

The  final  text  also  takes  full  account  of  broader  political  considerations  and  legal 
limitations. Member States, and for many domains the social partners, have primary or even 
exclusive competences in areas such as labour law, minimum wage, education, healthcare and 
the organisation of social protection systems. They also bear the bulk of the financing in the 
areas  covered  by  the  European  Pillar  of  Social  Rights.  The  principles  and  rights  set  by  the 
Pillar will  need  to  be implemented at Union and Member State level  in full respect of their 
respective  competences.  This  is  also  in  line  with  the  principles  of  subsidiarity  and 
proportionality, which foresee that action at EU level will take place only when objectives can 
be  better  achieved  at  Union  level  and  that  such  action  will  not  exceed  what  is  necessary  to 
achieve  the  objectives  of  the  Treaties.  These  principles  ensure  that  decisions  are  taken  as 
closely as possible to the citizens of the Union and that measures proposed at EU level will be 
based on proven added value. This is what citizens expect and this is what is most effective 
and efficient.  

The Pillar reaffirms the rights already present in the EU and in the international legal 
acquis and complements them to take account of new realities. As such, the Pillar does not 
affect principles and rights already contained in binding provisions of Union law: by putting 
together  rights  and  principles  which  were  set  at  different  times,  in  different  ways  and  in 
different forms, it seeks to render them more visible, more understandable and more explicit 
for citizens and for actors at all levels.  

In  so  doing,  the  Pillar  establishes  a  framework  for  guiding  future  action  by  the 
participating  Member  States.  This  is  why  the  Pillar  is  presented  in  the  form  of  a 
Recommendation  from  the  Commission,  together  with  a  proposal  for  an  interinstitutional 
proclamation.  The  Recommendation  is  adopted  today  by  the  Commission  on  the  basis  of 
Article 292 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. As it was done for the 
Charter  of  Fundamental  Rights,  the  proposal  for  an  interinstitutional  proclamation  will  be 
discussed with the European Parliament and the Council. 

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The implementation of the Pillar will take place in a diversity of situations and changing 
socio-economic  environments.  While  establishing  a  reference  framework,  the  Pillar  is 
conceived as a dynamic instrument that gives room for manoeuvre for actors at all levels to 
act  according  to  their  competences  and  to  update  their  instruments  in  the  light  of  specific 
situations. In particular, policy experimentation and social innovations should be encouraged 
to  match  new  challenges,  which  can  be  of  benefit  to  all.  As  indicated  below,  a  number  of 
actions will be initiated and strengthened at EU level to follow up progress. 

The  principles  and  rights  enshrined  in  the  Pillar  are  of  interest  to  citizens,  public 
authorities  and  social  partners  at  all  levels.  Given  the  legal  nature  of  the  Pillar,  these 
principles  and  rights  are  not  directly  enforceable:  they  require  a  translation  into  dedicated 
action and/or separate legislation, at the appropriate level. This is explained in greater detail in 
the staff working document accompanying the Pillar.15 

In many cases, the major issue is not so much the recognition of rights but rather their 
actual take-up. There are cases where citizens cannot fully enjoy their rights due to a lack of 
awareness,  implementation  or  enforcement  of  already  existing  legislation.  This  is  why  an 
important  focus  of  the  follow-up  strategy  will  be  the  strengthening  of  the  enforcement  of 
existing rights. An example of such action is the recent evaluation of the acquis in the field of 
occupational  health  and  safety:  a  broad  consultation  was  used  to  assess  the  effectiveness, 
efficiency, relevance and coherence of existing pieces of legislation and to design a strategy to 
ensure a more effective protection of the health and safety of workers, which takes account of 
administrative burdens and of the specific needs of SMEs.16 

4. Follow-up at EU level 

into  account 

the  political  and 

Taking 
legal  considerations  explained  above,  
the implementation of the Pillar will be primarily the responsibility of national governments, 
of  public  authorities  and  of  social  partners  at  all  levels.  Whether  the  Union  has  a  legal 
competence  to  act  is  further  explained  in  the  accompanying  staff  working  document.17  
The rest of this section focuses on the follow-up at EU level. 

At European level, all the various instruments  available will be mobilised: EU law, with an 
emphasis  on  the  enforcement  of  the  rich  acquis  already  existing,  to  be  updated  and 
complemented where necessary; social dialogue, to engage with and support the work of EU 
social  partners;  policy  guidance  and  recommendation,  through  the  European  Semester  of 
economic  policy  coordination;  and  financial  support,  through  a  diversity  of  EU  funds. 
Moreover,  the  implementation  of  the  Pillar  will  be  supported  by  a  new  social  scoreboard 
allowing for a monitoring of progress in terms of performances. 

15 See SWD (2017) 201, of 26 April 2017. The principles enshrined in the European Pillar of Social Rights 
concern Union citizens and third country nationals with legal residence. 
16 See COM (2017) 12 of 10 January 2017. 
17 See SWD (2017) 201 of 26 April 2017. 

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Endorsing the European Pillar of Social Rights 

The  Commission  proposes  the  European  Pillar  of  Social  Rights  to  be  solemnly  proclaimed 
jointly by the EU Institutions. Together with the European Parliament and the Presidency of 
the  Council,  the  Commision  will  facilitate  the  discussion  on  the  basis  of  the  draft 
proclamation  presented  today.  The  Social  Summit,  which  will  take  place  in  Sweden  on  17 
November  of  this  year,  will  be  a  key  moment  to  steer  the  work  forward,  in  line  with  the 
broader discussion on the social dimension of Europe. In the meantime, the Recommendation 
adopted today will serve as a reference, and this Communication delivers the framework for 
future actions by the Commission. The Recommendation adopted today will be amended in 
light of the final joint Proclamation by the EU Institutions. 

Updating and complementing EU law where necessary 

EU  legislation  remains  essential  to  guaranteeing  the  rights  of  citizens  as  set  out  in  the 
Treaties. For a number of principles and rights included in the Pillar some further legislative 
initiatives  will  be  necessary  for  them  in  order  to  be  effective.  Making  sure  that  the  EU 
legislation is updated and fit-for-purpose is a key and constant concern for the Commission. 
This  is  reflected  in  a  number  of  recent  initiatives,  such  as  on  the  coordination  of  social 
security systems, the posting of workers, the revision of the EU Framework on occupational 
health and safety at work, and the European Accessibility Act to improve the functioning of 
the  internal  market  for  accessible  products  and  services,  for  the  benefit  of  persons  with 
disabilities  and  older  people.  The  Pillar  offers  a  new  way  to  assess  whether  existing  EU 
legislation  is  designed  and  governed  in  a  way that  it  is  fit-for-purpose  and  responds  to  new 
challenges.  The  launch  of  the  Pillar  is  accompanied  by  a  first  set  of  legislative  initiatives 
related  to  work-life  balance,  access  to  social  protection  and  the  information  for  workers. 
Further  initiatives,  in  areas  covered  by  the  principles  and  rights  included  in  the  Pillar,  will 
follow  in  the  future  as  part  of  the  process  of  preparation  and  discussion  of  the  annual 
Commission Work Programme. 

Better enforcing EU law  

In addition to new legislative initiatives, the European Pillar of Social Rights focuses on the 
effective  implementation  of  existing  legislation.  The  launch  of  the  Pillar  provides  the 
opportunity to reinforce the implementation and enforcement of the existing acquis, including 
through  non-legislative  measures.  Such  reinforced  implementation  will  include  support  for  
a  higher  awareness  of  rights,  enforcement  mechanisms  or  enhanced  interpretative  guidance 
where  needed.  The  recent  European  Agenda  for  the  collaborative  economy18  and  the 
interpretative Communication on the Working Time Directive published today are two topical 
examples of how such guidance can take shape.19 The Commission will also review, building 
notably on social partners' input, where there are implementation gaps and decide on action 
needed. 

18 COM(2016) 356 of 2 June 2016. 
19 C(2017)  2601  of 26 April 2017. 

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Supporting social dialogue in the EU 

This Commission has supported the re-launch of EU-level social dialogue since the start of its 
mandate, by giving a new impetus to the involvement of the social partners in EU policy and 
law-making and to the promotion of social dialogue at all  levels. The joint statement on “A 
New start for social dialogue” signed in June 2016  by the EU social partners, the Presidency 
of  the  Council  and  the  Commission  confirmed  the  shared  commitment  to  improving  the 
framework  conditions,  the  effectiveness  and  the  quality  of  social  dialogue  at  all  levels. 
Bilateral cooperation between employers and trade unions is key for a well-functioning social 
dialogue.  The  Framework  Agreement  on  active  ageing  and  an  intergenerational  approach 
signed  by  EU  level  social  partners  in  March  2017  is  exemplary  of  how  social  partners  can 
contribute to better governance and more effective social and economic reforms. 

Monitoring progress within the European Semester for economic policy coordination 

Social  considerations  have  been  mainstreamed  and  reinforced  in  the  European  Semester  for 
economic policy coordination since the start of the mandate of this Commision. The analysis 
and  recommendations  will  reflect  and  promote  the  principles  enshrined  in  the  Pillar  by 
assessing,  monitoring  and  comparing  the  progress  made  towards  their  implementation. 
Benchmarking and exchange of best practices will be conducted for a number of areas, such 
as  employment  protection  legislation,  unemployment  benefits,  minimum  wages,  minimum 
income and skills.20 Monitoring of progress will be supported by the new social scoreboard, 
which consists of a limited number of existing indicators of importance to assess employment 
and  social  trends.21  The  scoreboard  will  be  dicussed  with  the  relevant  Council  committees, 
with a view to its incoporation in the annual Joint Employment Report published each autumn 
in  the  framework  of  the  European  Semester.  It  could  also  become  a  reference  point  for  the 
efforts made on the social dimension of the euro area and of Europe more generally. 

Drawing conclusions for the completion of Europe's Economic and Monetary Union 

The  European  Pillar  of  Social  Rights  is  part  of  the  efforts  to  launch  a  new  process  of 
convergence within the EMU. It lies in the conviction that convergence towards better socio-
economic  outcomes,  social  resilience  and  fairness  is  the  necessary  foundation  for  a  more 
integrated and stable Europe and that this is an urgency for the sustainability of the Economic 
and Monetary Union. Looking ahead, the future success of the euro area depends, in no small 
measure,  on  the  effectiveness  of  national  labour  markets  and  welfare  systems  and  on  the 
capacity of the economy to swiftly absorb and adjust to shocks and to effectively tackle their 
social implications. It also depends on the capacity of national economies to improve living 
standards  and  growth  potential.  This  requires  high  quality  education  and  training  and  well-
functioning  labour  markets,  allowing  for  a  smooth  allocation  of  resources,  but  also  well-
designed  social  protection  systems  to  be  in  place  in  order  to  provide  effective  automatic 
stabilisation, prevent and reduce poverty, and support labour market reintegration. In line with 

20 Work is already ongoing with the Council committees on these particular areas. 
21 See SWD(2017) 200, of 26 April 2017. 

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the Five Presidents' Report, some of the principles and rights established by the Pillar could 
serve the purpose of more binding standards in line with the process of EMU deepening.  

EU financial support 

EU funds, in particular the European Social Fund, will continue to support the implementation 
of the European Pillar of Social Rights. In particular, the 2014-2020 operational programmes 
in  the  framewok  of  the  European  Structural  and  Investment  Funds,  as  well  as  other  key 
financial  programmes  such  as  the  Youth  Employment  Initiative,  Erasmus+,  the  European 
Globalisation  Adjustment  Fund  and  the  Fund  for  European  Aid  to  the  Most  Deprived  will 
play a key role to support many principles of the Pillar. The Pillar will also be a reference for 
the  design  of  the  post-2020  EU  financial  programming  period.  The  Commission  will  work 
closely  with  the  Member  States,  local  and  regional  authorities  to  make  sure  that  future  EU 
funding  is  targeted  to  the  identified  priorities  and  that  Member  States  set  up  the  necessary 
structures to ensure that these funds can be fully tapped on where they are needed the most.  

5. Conclusion 

The  consultation  on  the  European  Pillar  of  Social  Rights  has  highlighted  the  breadth  of  the 
social  and  economic  issues  facing  Europe  and  the  euro  area  in  particular,  but  it  has  also 
confirmed the commonalities of challenges and the shared need to act, together and urgently, 
to  get  Europe  back  on  track  towards  a  more  inclusive  economic  growth  and  greater  social 
cohesion.  These  efforts  are  part  and  parcel  of  the  broader  political  and  economic  agenda 
initiated at European level to respond and overcome the crisis of the last decade. 

The  European  Pillar  of  Social  Rights  puts  forward  concrete  principles  and  rights,  to  be 
concretised  at  EU  and  national  level.  It  puts  the  citizens  first,  and  sets  out  a  shared  way 
forward for equal opportunities and access to the labour market, fair working conditions and 
social protection and inclusion. These principles and rights are also essential for the broader 
debate on the future of the EU27. 

The  Member  States,  their  public  authorities,  social  partners  at  all  levels  and  the  EU 
Institutions  share  a  common  responsibility  to  work  for  a  more  prosperous  and  fair  Europe, 
where economic and social developments go hand in hand. The Pillar sets markers for future 
actions,  with  a  series  of  EU  initiatives  presented  today  as  part  of  this  package.  The 
Commission will continue to work very closely with the European Parliament and the Council 
to facilitate the proclamation of the Pillar, and with stakeholders to follow it up at all levels. 

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