COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS Quality Jobs Roadmap
Date: 2025-12-04
Institutions: Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, European Commission
Subjects: artificial intelligence, cognitive skills, collective bargaining, digitisation, employment policy, labour market, social dialogue, teleworking, vocational training, working conditions

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 4.12.2025  COM(2025) 944 final  COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS Quality Jobs Roadmap      
 
 
1. 

BUILDING EUROPE’S COMPETITIVENESS THROUGH QUALITY JOBS 

Today’s geopolitical and geoeconomic upheavals, global competition, trade dependencies 
and  the  transformation  of  the  European  industrial  base  are  weighing  on  growth  and 
stability. As companies struggle to remain competitive, workers feel the impact of global 
crises, higher cost of living and rapid change affecting their lives and careers.  

For  decades,  the  EU’s  unique  social  market  economy  has  delivered  well  on  business 
opportunities  and  worker  protection.  It  has  shown  resilience  through  major  shocks  - 
notably the COVID-19 pandemic, the energy crisis, inflation and the cost-of-living surge 
- protecting millions of businesses, people and jobs, and today employment rates are at 
record high. The EU must do what it takes to make sure it remains the best place to live, 
work, invest and do business.  

Structural changes require structural solutions for a competitive and fair growth. Quality 
jobs  are  central  to  achieving  this.  As  highlighted  in  the  Draghi  report  on  EU 
competitiveness (1) higher productivity goes hand in hand with improved job quality and 
increased labour market participation. Access to quality jobs also strengthens territorial, 
economic and social cohesion, allowing individuals to enjoy a “right to stay” and thrive in 
their local communities and supporting long-term economic participation across regions. 

The  Quality  Jobs  Roadmap  (‘the  Roadmap’)  is  a  renewed  commitment  to  fostering 
quality jobs in a competitive economy. It outlines initiatives to align employment policy 
with the needs of a fast-evolving economy while remaining grounded in the principles of 
the European social market economy, social progress and full employment. Trade unions 
and employer organisations play a central role in this endeavour. As reaffirmed in the Pact 
for  European  Social  Dialogue (2),  signed  on  5  March  2025,  the  Commission  remains 
committed to strengthening social dialogue at all levels.  

European Social Partner involvement in the preparation of the  
Quality Jobs Roadmap 

Between  April  and  June  2025,  the  Commission  engaged  in  an  unprecedented  consultation 
process with social partners, both at European and national levels. In total, the consultation 
mobilised  about  200  organisations  across  the  EU,  generated  over  100  written  inputs  and 
involved beyond 50 discussions across Europe. (3) 

At the EU level, all 88 recognised European social partners were consulted through dedicated 
meetings,  the  cross-industry  Social  Dialogue  Committee  and  the  44  EU  Sectoral  Social 
Dialogue Committees, resulting in 11 joint contributions and 32 unilateral ones.  

At national level, dedicated consultations were organised in all 27 Member States.  

(1) 
(2)  

(3) 

 Draghi M. The future of European competitiveness, September 2024 
 European  Commission  and  European  cross-industry  social  partners,  Pact  for  European  Social 
Dialogue, 5 March 2025.  
EMPL - Library to repository with inputs. 

1 

 
 
 
 
 
There is no one-size fits all approach to job quality. The complexity of the challenge is 
reflected  in  the  Employment  Committee  (EMCO)  opinion  of  June  2025(4)  covering 
multiple  dimensions  of  the  quality  of  jobs,  including  earnings,  working  conditions, 
collective bargaining coverage, up- and re- reskilling. 

The  Roadmap  focuses  on  the  areas  where  EU  action  is  mostly  needed:  creating  and 
maintaining quality jobs in the EU, modernisation and fairness in the world of work. It 
strives to support resilient productivity increase by fostering quality jobs that attract and 
maintain talent of all generations, particularly in the context of climate, technological and 
demographic transitions. In view of its important dimension for advancing quality jobs, 
supporting workers through transitions, and safeguarding Europe’s resilient productivity, 
the Roadmap will support  the Competitiveness Compass, acting as an enabler for Europe’s 
competitiveness.  

The  Roadmap  also  emphasises  key  enabling  factors  in  a  business-friendly  environment 
such  as  enforcement  of  existing  social  rights,  quality  services  across  regions,  adequate 
funding and reinforced social dialogue and collective bargaining. 

2. 

CREATING AND MAINTAINING QUALITY JOBS IN THE EU 

Across  industries,  companies  are  facing  accelerated  transformations,  compounded  by  a 
fragmented global landscape and unpredictable trade policies that threaten value chains. A 
strong and innovative industrial base – supported by a skilled, adaptable workforce and a 
commitment to buy European – is key to remain competitive and sovereign globally.  

Creating quality jobs requires an environment where businesses, including the self-
employed,  start-ups  and  small  firms  can  innovate,  grow,  attract  investment  and 
talent.  To  stay  competitive  while  upholding  high  labour  standards,  businesses  need  a 
regulatory framework that is clear, proportionate and innovation friendly. This includes 
reducing administrative burdens, improving access to information and support tools, while 
ensuring high  social  and employment  standards.  Social partners also play a key  role in 
identifying practical solutions that respond to needs of companies across Europe. 

In this spirit, the Commission has proposed to simplify EU rules and reduce administrative 
burdens, and it is exploring better support for micro-enterprises in enforcing EU law. It is 
also proposing action to help startups and scaleups access talent and create quality jobs (5).  

Industry of the future 

The  Clean  Industrial  Deal  is  geared  towards  transforming  decarbonisation  and 
circularity  into  a  growth  driver  for  European  industries,  including  SMEs.  In  this 
context,  the  EU  Strategic  Dialogues  with  the  steel,  metal,  chemical  and  automotive 
industries,  have  provided  essential  input  by  identifying  structural  challenges,  including 
global overcapacity, unfair trade practices, and high energy costs. 

(4) 

(5) 

 Council  of  the  European  Union,  note  from  the  Employment  Committee,  Opinion  of  the 
Employment Committee on the dimensions of job quality. 
European Commission, EU Startup and Scaleup Strategy, 28 October 2025 

2 

 
 
 
 
The EU is also working on measures to strengthen EU strategic capacities, including 
a Battery Booster package, an Industrial Accelerator Act,  with a first "made in Europe" 
public  procurement  criterion  and  a  Grids  Package.  Furthermore,  the    "Choose  Europe" 
initiative aims to attract top scientists and innovators to the EU. 

Skilled people to drive job transitions 

Skills and quality jobs are key drivers of EU’s growth. The recently adopted proposal 
for  a  Council  Recommendation  on  Human  Capital (6)  as  part  of  the  Semester  Autumn 
Package  explicitly  highlights  the  crucial  role  of  human  capital  and  future-oriented 
education  and  skills  in  enhancing  the  Union’s  competitiveness  and  strategic  autonomy, 
strengthening  preparedness  and  supporting  sustainable  prosperity.  It  calls  on  Member 
States  to  1)  reverse  the  negative  trends  in  basic  skills,  2)  prioritise  science  technology 
engineering and mathematics at all levels of education, and 3) invest in data to build better 
intelligence  about  labour  market  needs.  In  this  context,  it  is  essential  to  tap  into  the 
potential of the more than 50 million people in the EU who remain outside the workforce—
most of whom are women. Fully unlocking this talent pool would help the EU maintain its 
competitiveness.  The  Union  of  Skills  places  a  strong  emphasis  on  gender  equality, 
particularly  in  STEM  (Science,  Technology,  Engineering  and  Mathematics)  fields,  and 
aims to bring 1 million female students into STEM programmes by 2030. Supporting older 
people to update their skills, stay in the labour market or pass on their experience can turn 
demographic change into a source of social cohesion and shared prosperity. 

The  Skills  Guarantee  will  help  workers  in  restructuring  or  at-risk  sectors  remain  in 
employment by supporting them to transition into strategic growth areas. This initiative is 
eligible to receive support via the European Competitiveness Fund (ECF) and piloted under 
the Employment and Social Innovation (EaSI) strand of the European Social Fund (ESF+). 

There  will  be  a  growing  need  for  a  skilled  workforce  in  economic  activities  related  to 
sustainable product design, reuse, remanufacturing and recycling of materials, as well as 
in cleantech and bioeconomy. The New European Bauhaus Academy will accelerate up- 
and re-skilling across the construction ecosystem, equipping professionals with the skills 
needed for a carbon-neutral, circular and beautiful built environment. 

It  is  also  crucial  to  ensure  more  agility  in  the  labour  market  through  easier 
recognition of skills across borders. The Commission will propose a Skills Portability 
Initiative to simplify and facilitate the recognition of skills and qualifications, including 
via strengthened digitisation, also for third-country nationals. The EU will set up a Talent 
Pool and enhance Talent Partnerships to attract skilled third country nationals in shortage 
occupations. The upcoming EU Visa Policy Strategy will include measures to facilitate the 
arrival of top students, researchers, and skilled workers. Digital skills, including advanced 
digital skills, are essential for Europe’s competitiveness and for creating quality jobs. The 
EU still faces a significant shortage of ICT specialists, with a persistent gender gap. To 

(6) 

 European  Commission,  Council  Recommendation  on  Human  Capital  in  the  EU,  25  November 
2025. 

3 

 
 
 
 
 
address this, the Commission has invested EUR 400 million through the Digital Europe 
Programme to expand specialised higher education programmes, short-term trainings, and 
Digital Skills Academies. In addition, in the period 2021–2027, digital skills are supported 
by  Erasmus+  with  a  total  investment  that  could  exceed  EUR 6 billion  and  of  EUR  1.2 
billion under the ESF+. Under the NextGenerationEU, digital skills are supported with an 
estimated EUR 28 billion. 

Restructuring framework and collective engagement for trust and opportunities 

Timely restructuring decisions combined with anticipation and mitigation measures 
allow companies to remain viable in evolving markets.  

Better  application  of  the  EU  Quality  Framework  for  Anticipation  of  Change  and 
Restructuring is needed. Under the Clean Industrial Deal, the Commission has committed 
to discuss with social partners a framework for fair transitions, anticipating change, quicker 
intervention, and implementing the information and consultation framework. 

The  Commission  will  conduct  a  study  on  corporate  restructuring  practices  to  assess 
whether  and  to  what  extent  applicable  rules  allow  startups,  scaleups  and  innovative 
companies to adapt and innovate.  

Strong  worker  involvement  at  company  level  is  the  trademark  of  Europe’s 
democracy  at  work.  It  is  key  for  fair  change  management  and  anticipation.  Effective 
implementation of the EU legal framework (7) across all Member States is necessary. To 
assess  their  effectiveness  in  supporting  workers  and  business  through  transitions,  the 
Commission is gathering evidence on the implementation of the directives on information 
and consultation, collective redundancies and transfers of undertakings.  

In addition, the Council endorsed key messages on the implementation of the 2022 Council 
Recommendation  on  ensuring  a  fair  transition  towards  climate  neutrality  (8).  The  new 
European Fair Transition Observatory, to become operational at the beginning of 2026, 
will strengthen the evidence base and ensure active dialogue with key stakeholders on just 
transition aspects.  

Reforms and investment conducive to quality jobs 

Reforms and investment to promote quality employment require combined efforts by the 
EU  and  the  Member  States.  On  the  basis  of  the  June  2025  EMCO  opinion  on  the 
dimensions of job quality, the Commission worked with the advisory committees of the 
Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs (EPSCO) Council on an updated 
monitoring framework including indicators for each job quality dimension that has been 
implemented  as  of  the  ongoing  2025-2026  semester  cycle.  This  monitoring  framework 

(7) 

(8) 

Directive 2002/14/EC, establishing a general framework for informing and consulting employees 
in the European Community, 11 March 2002; Directive 98/59/EC on the approximation of the laws 
of the Member States relating to collective redundancies, 20 July 1998; Directive 2001/23/EC on 
the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the safeguarding of employees' rights 
in the event of transfers of undertakings, businesses or parts of undertakings or businesses, 12 March 
2001;  Directive  2009/38/EC,  amended  by  Directive  2025/[awaiting  publication]  on  a  European 
Works Council. 
 Council Recommendation 2022/C 243/04, Ensuring a Fair Transition towards Climate Neutrality, 
16 June 2022. 

4 

 
 
 
could support the development of a headline target to track progress in improving working 
conditions across the EU. 

With public authorities spending around 15% of EU GDP, public procurement may 
be  a  powerful  tool  to  support  quality  jobs  and  boost  sustainable  growth,  while 
advancing strategic EU policy objectives. The 2014 Public Procurement Directives include 
the  obligation  to  ensure  compliance  with  social,  labour,  and  environmental  law  in  the 
performance  of  public  contracts  through  a  general  clause.  Contracting  authorities  may 
exclude an economic operator from participating in a public procurement procedure where 
the  contracting  authority  can  demonstrate  that  the  economic  operator  has  violated 
applicable environmental, social or labour obligations.  

In addition, the Directives offer non-binding tools to support socially responsible public 
procurement, such as reserved contracts (e.g. for work integration social enterprises) or 
awarding points as part of the best price-quality ratio for meeting social criteria.  

However, price-only remains a widespread award criterion within the EU. As part of the 
revision the EU procurement directives announced for 2026, the Commission will explore 
how to better promote socially responsible public procurement, including the wider use of 
the Best Price Quality Ratio and of collective bargaining.  

State aid rules can provide better incentives for industry to create durable and quality 
jobs and invest in skills. As part of the on-going revision of the General Block Exemption 
Regulation, the Commission will assess if and how it should be updated, notably as regards 
the  rules  on  aid  for  social  enterprises,  training  and  employment  and  recruitment  of 
disadvantaged  workers.  The  Commission  will  develop  dedicated  guidance  to  assist 
Member States when designing State aid measures for social support and social investment 
and  aims  to  significantly  reduce  the  administrative  burden  for  both  undertakings  and 
Member States. 

Companies,  especially  SMEs,  startups  and  scaleups,  need  an  innovation-friendly 
environment  that  allows  them  to  grow  and  attract  investment.  To  further  minimise 
administrative burdens, a new SME and competitiveness check has become a stronger filter 
for new Commission initiatives. The check includes an assessment of the expected effects 
on cost differentials compared to international competitors.  

Tax  and  pension  reforms  can  contribute  substantially  to  further  enhance  labour 
market  participation  and  strengthen  social  protection.  For  example,  supplementary 
pensions can improve retirement savings for workers, notably mobile ones and those in 
non-standard forms of work. The EU Startup and Scaleup Strategy seeks to improve the 
treatment of employee stock options, helping startups attract and retain top talent and foster 
high-quality  jobs.  At  the  same  time,  eliminating  tax  obstacles  for  remote  cross-border 
employees  is  important  to  foster  the  growth  of  startups  and  scaleups,  with  work  on  a 
recommendation ongoing to that effect. 

Facilitating transitions in a changing global economy  

The European instrument for temporary Support to mitigate Unemployment Risks in an 
Emergency (SURE) – mobilised significant financial means to protect jobs and companies 
during the specific circumstances of the Covid 19 pandemic. In 2020, it supported around 

5 

 
 
32 million people and over 2.5 million firms, through short-time work schemes and similar 
measures,  particularly  for  SMEs  in  the  sectors  most  affected.  It  also  allowed  Member 
States  to  address  sudden  increases  in  employment-related  spending  expenditure  for  the 
preservation of employment with interest savings estimated at EUR 9 billion.  

Under the next Multi-annual Financial Framework 2028-2034, the Commission proposed 
the introduction of a new extraordinary and temporary mechanism to respond to the 
consequences of severe crises, hardship or serious threats thereof affecting the Union or its 
Member  States.  A  decision  on  the  activation  of  this  mechanism  will  be  decided  by  the 
Council of the EU after obtaining the consent of the European Parliament. If activated, it 
will provide loans financed by EU borrowing and backed by an annual guarantee from the 
EU budget of up to 0.25% of EU GNI. 

A  sustainable  growth  strategy  requires  mobilising  public  and  private  capital  into 
productive  investments,  for  the  benefit  of  citizens,  companies  and  a  resilient  economy. 
This entails for example increasing uptake of supplementary pensions to ensure adequate 
income after retirement. This can support the EU’s economic growth and competitiveness, 
by mobilizing and channelling long-term capital into the economy.  

3. 

MODERNISATION: PROMOTING QUALITY JOBS  WHILE  BOOSTING  DIGITAL 
INNOVATION  

Digitalisation  is  crucial  for  innovation  and  for  EU  competitiveness.  It  can  boost  labour 
productivity, improve health and safety at work, and help address labour shortages. Most 
Europeans view digital technologies, including AI, positively for their jobs and quality of 
life, including work-life-balance. As reported in the Apply AI Strategy (9), a majority of 
European workers (67%) believe that Artificial Intelligence (AI) helps them to perform 
their tasks faster. However, 84% call for careful management to protect privacy and ensure 
transparency,  while  77%  emphasise  the  need  for  worker  and  representativeness’ 
involvement in the design and use of workplace technologies (10).  

Responsible use of algorithmic management  

Algorithmic  management  (AM)  is  commonly  understood  as  the  use  of  automated 
monitoring systems and automated decision-making systems powered by algorithms that 
replace  functions  that  managers  usually  perform,  such  as  allocating  tasks,  pricing 
individual assignments, determining working schedules, giving instructions, evaluating the 
work performed, providing incentives or applying adverse treatment. 

AI and AM can enhance efficiency and job quality, allowing workers to focus on higher-
value  tasks,  and  improve  safety  at  work.  At  the  same  time,  effective  protection  from 
discrimination, data breaches or excessive surveillance and psychosocial risks is essential 
to ensure a trustful and widespread uptake of AI in the world of work. 

(9) 

(10)  

 Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council COM/2025/723 
final, Apply AI Strategy, 8 October 2025. 
 European  Commission,  Special  Eurobarometer  SP554:  Artificial  Intelligence  and  the  future  of 
work.  

6 

 
 
 
The  AI  Act (11)  and  the  General  Data  Protection  Regulation  (GDPR) (12)  provide  a 
comprehensive framework for regulating digital technologies in the workplace. While not 
all AM systems are AI-based, the AI Act classifies as “high-risk” AI systems used in the 
context  of  recruitment  or  selection  of  natural  persons,  including  AI  systems  making 
decisions  affecting  terms  of  work-related  relationships,  allocating  tasks  and  monitoring 
and evaluating performance.  

The Platform Work Directive enhances transparency, fairness, human oversight, safety and 
information and consultation in platform work; it also brings legal clarity for digital labour 
platforms organising work across the EU.  

EU  rules  on  worker  information  and  consultation (13)  require  involving  workers’ 
representatives  on  decisions  likely  to  lead  to  substantial  changes  in  work  organisation, 
including deployment of AM systems.  

The way forward must be guided by two mutually reinforcing goals: to support and 
enable the take-up of AI tools at work and protect workers from potential risks arising from 
the  use  of  AM.  The  AI  Act  and  the  GDPR  provide  essential  and  relevant  horizontal 
frameworks, which must be implemented and enforced. Both acts do not preclude Member 
States or the Union from maintaining or introducing more favourable or specific rules on 
the use of such systems for the better protection of workers. In a number of Member States 
and  sectors,  social  partners  have  adopted  and  applied  specific  rules  in  collective 
agreements. 

Any EU action would focus on effective implementation and enforcement of existing EU 
protections  for  workers  across  all  Member  States,  on  providing  further  clarity  on  those 
protections and, where necessary, consider targeted complementary measures not covered 
by the current rules. This would need to guarantee clear added value, consistency with the 
legal framework, avoiding duplications and promote a level playing field across the EU. A 
further consideration would be simplification, as regards administrative burden on workers 
and companies.   

Adapting the way we work to the digital reality - Right to disconnect and telework  

Digital tools at work offer flexibility and contribute to job satisfaction but they can 
also foster an 'always-on' culture, where workers are encouraged or feel pressured to be 
constantly available at any time. Overall, work intensification and work-related stress can 
affect  workers’  well-being,  ultimately  reducing  productivity  and  increasing  public 
spending (14). 

(11) 

(12) 

(13) 

(14) 

Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 June 2024 laying 
down harmonised rules on artificial intelligence.  
Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the 
protection  of  natural  persons  with  regard  to  the  processing  of  personal  data  and  on  the  free 
movement of such data, and repealing Directive 95/46/EC (General Data Protection Regulation).  
Directive 2002/14/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2002 establishing 
a general framework for informing and consulting employees in the European Community. 
Fernandez Macias, E., Gonzalez Vazquez, I., Torrejon Perez, S. and Nurski, L., Work in the Digital 
Era: How Technology is Transforming Work and Occupations, Publications Office of the European 
Union, Luxembourg, 2025. 

7 

 
 
 
from  home.  Yet 

In 2024, one in five Europeans were working from home at least partially. Preferences 
for  teleworking  are  also  rising,  as  a  2024  Eurofound  survey  showed  that  over  50%  of 
respondents  favour  working  from  home  multiple  times  a  week,  and  24%  wish  to  work 
exclusively 
teleworkers  often 
encounter a lack of clarity around the rules applicable 
and 
teleworking 
including  in  cross-border  situations,  regarding  social 
security  and  taxation.  Employers  also  struggle  with 
managing dispersed teams.  

Social partners: “The Right to 
Disconnect” guide developed by 
UNI  Europa  establishes  best 
practices based on national rules 
on disconnection.  

their  working  conditions  while 

In  January  2021,  the  European  Parliament  adopted 
under  Article  225  TFEU  a  resolution  on  the  right  to 
disconnect  and  telework,  asking  for  EU  legislative 
action.  Following  the  unsuccessful  negotiations  by 
European cross sectoral social partners in 2022-2023 on 
a  revised  agreement  in  these  areas,  the  Commission 
carried out a formal two-stage consultation with social partners in 2024-2025.  

sector 

central 

The  digitalisation  agreement  of 
2022 reached by social partners 
of 
government 
administrations  aims  to  ensure 
that digital transformation in the 
inclusive, 
public 
human-centred,  and 
respects 
workers’ rights. 

is 

The full implementation by Member States of the Work-Life Balance Directive will ensure 
working conditions that facilitate the reconciliation of private, family and working lives 
for parents and carers. 

4. 

FAIR, SAFE AND EQUAL: THE BACKBONE OF RESILIENT JOBS IN EUROPE  

The EU’s strong labour and occupational safety and health standards protect workers and 
organised  labour  mobility  to  build  trust,  mobilise  talent,  promote  equality,  prevent 
discrimination and abuses. But the world of work is changing, and with it the pressures on 
our systems.  

Promoting physical and mental health at work 

Protecting workers from injuries, illnesses and deaths is central to job quality. Despite 
progress, every year in the EU over 170,000 people die from work-related illnesses, suffer 
around 3,300 fatal injuries, and over 220,000 serious non-fatal accidents that lead to an 
absence of more than three months or permanent incapacity to work (15). The protection of 
good health encompasses both physical and mental aspects, and entails a gender-sensitive 
approach.  

Strong  occupational  safety  and  health  (OSH)  policies  are  a  social  and  economic 
imperative.  They reduce absenteeism, enable longer working  lives and result in  higher 
productivity (16). The societal cost of work-related injuries and diseases amounts to around 

(15) 

(16) 

EU-OSHA  (2023)  Occupational  safety  and  health  in  Europe:  state  and  trends  2023, Eurostat 
data, and Eurostat data. 
 EU-OSHA, Good OSH is good for business 

8 

 
 
 
 
3.3% of EU GDP, while every euro invested in prevention yields a return of more than two 
euros (17). 

It is important that the EU’s OSH legislation stay aligned with new realities. By mid- 
2026, the Commission will report on the implementation of the OSH Framework Directive 
and related directives. The Carcinogens, Mutagens, or Reprotoxic Substances Directive is 
undergoing its sixth revision.  In  consultation  with  social partners, the Commission  will 
also review the Workplace and the Display Screen Equipment Directives (18 to update OSH 
protections  in  modern  workplaces  –  including  telework  –  and  digital  tools,  and,  in 
particular, to better address psychosocial and ergonomic risks, and to consider the risks 
affecting workers with disabilities. 

One in three women in the EU have experienced sexual harassment at work, a figure that 
rises to 41.6% among women aged 18–29 years. There are ongoing initiatives such as the 
EU-OSHA Online Interactive Risk Assessment tool on sexual harassment and third-party 
violence. Social partners are also taking important action, including the 2025 update of the 
multi-sectoral Guidelines in this area. 

Enhancing  awareness  and  research  on  work-related  risks  leads  to  more  informed 
policies that improve job quality. The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work 
(EU-OSHA) published in 2023 the guide “Heat at Work – Guidance for Workplaces” (19). 
In  2026-2028,  it  will  carry  out  a  Healthy  Workplace  campaign  on  mental  health  and 
psychosocial risks at work.  

Adequate wages to protect workers, develop human capital and reduce labour shortages 

Adequate wages benefit both workers and businesses. They support social fairness and 
a  productive  and  inclusive  economy.  They  help  to  protect  workers’  purchasing  power, 
reduce wage  inequality  and  in-work  poverty,  support  domestic demand and  strengthen 
incentives to work. The Directive on adequate minimum wages in the EU has encouraged 
fairer wage-setting. Since its adoption, the gap between minimum and average wages has 
narrowed across Member States. Importantly, the Directive has also helped narrow the gap 
between the highest and lowest minimum wages between Member States contributing to 
greater wage convergence across Europe.  

There is a need to improve the situation young people are facing on the labour market, 
notably  with  regards  to  precarious  contracts,  atypical  forms  of  work  and  the  informal 
economy. Quality jobs are essential for intergenerational fairness.  

Still,  in  2024,  in-work  poverty  still  affected  almost  one  in  twelve  workers,  and 
disproportionately  the  low-skilled,  part-time,  temporary  workers,  and  single  parents.  In 
addition, it remains essential to tackle the undervaluation of jobs predominantly done by 

(17) 

(18) 

(19) 

ISSA,  Calculating  the  international  return  on  prevention  for  companies:  Costs  and  benefits  of 
investments in occupational safety and health, Final report 2013. 
Directive 89/654/EEC concerning the minimum safety and health requirements for the workplace, 
30 November 1989; Directive 90/270/EEC on the minimum safety and health requirements for work 
with display screen equipment, 29 May 1990. 
 OSH-Wiki, Heat at work – guidance for workplaces, 1 June 2023. 

9 

 
 
 
women and advancing pay transparency to close the gender pay gap, through the timely 
implementation of the Pay Transparency Directive.  

To  ensure  that 

improvements 

Social  partners:  The  SIDE-CIC 
project, implemented jointly by the 
EU social partners in construction, 
promotes the use of social ID cards 
to  improve  transparency,  monitor 
workers’  rights  and  qualifications, 
and explore ways to better connect 
these  tools  across  companies  and 
countries. 

productivity 

in  hand  with 
in  wage  adequacy  go  hand 
competitiveness, 
is 
boosting 
essential. However, over the last decade, many EU 
countries  have  faced  persistently  weak  labour 
productivity growth, limiting the potential for higher 
wages,  with  the  average  real  compensation  of 
employees increasing only by about 0.5% annually. 
Looking  ahead,  economic  transformation,  notably 
the  digital  transition,  represents  an  opportunity  to 
boost innovation and productivity, so as to give more 

room for wage growth and decent living standards across generations.  

Well-functioning  collective  bargaining  ensures  that  all  workers  benefit  from 
adequate wages and can encourage the take-up of supplementary pension schemes. The 
Commission will continue to support wage adequacy and social dialogue across the EU. 
This  includes  monitoring  the  correct  transposition  of  the  Directive,  including  its 
requirement  that  Member  States  with  coverage  below  80%  establish  an  enabling 
framework for collective bargaining and an action plan to strengthen it.  

Tackling labour exploitation  

As highlighted in the Letta report, the EU should tackle those subcontracting or labour 
intermediation  practices  which  may  lead  to  exploitation  and  abuse  of  workers (20). 
Subcontracting is a legitimate business model. Through subcontracting, companies have 
access to specialised expertise and can quickly adapt to meet changing business needs and 
stay competitive. However, despite the EU’s strong protective framework some workers 
still face abuse. Sectors such as construction, transport, agriculture and domestic services 
are more exposed.  

Better  and  more  coordinated  efforts  remain  essential.  Strengthening  enforcement 
efforts  of  relevant  legislation,  enhancing  transparency  in  national  systems  (pre-
qualification  system,  national  registers  or  certification  system)  without  imposing 
unnecessary additional burden, and assessing systems for liability of employers for failure 
to comply with workers’ rights, is necessary to tackle abuses effectively. In addition, the 
European Labour Authority (ELA), can further support exchanges of national practices, 
studies and enforcement action. 

The  reliability  of  subcontractors  may  be  checked  in  the  context  of  public 
procurement. The 2014 Public Procurement Directives contain provisions for preventing 
or  mitigating  adverse  social  impacts  during  the  performance  of  the  contract.  The 
Commission  has  announced  a  review  of  the  directives  in  2026  and,  in  preparation, 
published an evaluation in October 2025.This will consider among other elements the issue 

(20) 

 Letta E., Much more than a market report, 2024. 

10 

 
 
 
 
of  subcontracting,  including  the  responsibilities  and  qualifications  of  contractors,  and 
transparency in supply chains. There is also a need to improve detection and prevention 
of labour exploitation particularly in relation to non-EU workers, including trafficking in 
human  beings.  The  Employers’  Sanctions  and  the  Seasonal  Workers  Directives 
introduced clear rules on liability and sanctions, including how to step up enforcement and 
better  protect  the  rights  of  third  country  nationals  who  may  be  particularly  exposed  to 
abusive  working  conditions  often  because  of  their  illegal  status,  in  particular  in  sectors 
such as construction, transport, domestic services and agriculture. 

The  upcoming  revision  of  the  ELA  mandate  could  help  by  further  addressing  the 
challenges related to  abuses of  working  conditions  of third country nationals. ELA and 
national  inspectorates  could  also  strengthen  efforts  against  undeclared  work,  boosting 
collaboration with law enforcement. 

Fostering fair labour mobility 

Several highly mobile sectors face particular challenges. This is for example relevant 
for transport workers. Implementing the EU road transport Mobility Package I will ensure 
both the social protection of drivers and the freedom of operators to provide cross-border 
transport services. The Commission report on suitable rest facilities and safe and secure 
parking areas for drivers looks at how to increase their availability (21). The Commission 
is looking into ways to modernise the rules related to the qualification and training of bus 
and lorry drivers with a view to making the training more relevant and more attractive.  

The  review  of  the  Air  Services  Regulation  will  focus  on  the  good  functioning  of  the 
internal market for aviation services, while addressing challenges in enforcing labour laws 
for mobile aircrews.  

In the cultural and creative sectors, artists and other highly mobile professionals linked to 
those  activities  often  face  precarious  working  and  social  conditions.  The  Commission 
published a Culture Compass for Europe (22) that announced a future EU Artists Charter 
to set out fundamental principles, guidance and commitments for fair working conditions 
in the sector.  

To  strengthen  R&D  investment  and  foster  the  circulation  of  knowledge  and  talent,  the 
Commission  will  present  a  European  Research  Area  Act,  to  consolidate  the  EU’s  fifth 
freedom for research and innovation, improve researchers’ careers and working conditions, 
and boost the EU as an attractive environment. 

Furthermore, the Commission will publish a Fair Labour Mobility Package in 2026. 
The package will modernise and simplify the EU rules and procedures on social security 
coordination, making use of the potential of digitalisation, including to make it easier to 
temporarily  provide  services  cross-border,  while  protecting  workers’  rights.  It  will 
strengthen  ELA  and  digitalise  procedures  under  social  security  coordination  with  the 
European Social Security Pass. The Commission will also explore ways to facilitate and 

(21) 
(22) 

EUR-Lex - 52025DC0703 - EN - EUR-Lex 
 European Commission, Culture Compass for Europe. 

11 

 
 
 
 
accelerate  the  recognition  of  qualifications  for  EU  and  for  third  country  nationals  to 
increase the attractiveness of the EU for global talent.  

In  the  context  of  intra-EU  labour  mobility,  enforcement  challenges  emerge  from  the 
increasing posting of third country nationals and from cross-border provision of services 
by  temporary  work  agencies  and  recruitment  intermediaries,  including  in  long  and 
complex  sub-contracting  chains.  Also,  as  a  follow-up  to  the  2024  report  on  posting  of 
workers (23), ELA and the Commission are looking into these challenges to enhance cross-
border cooperation and support national measures. 

Ensuring fairness and flexibility for the self-employed  

Quality jobs among the self-employed are vital for inclusive economic growth. Self-
employed  and  non-standard  workers  should  have  access  to  adequate  social  benefits, 
information, training, and healthcare under comparable conditions as employees. This can 
be achieved by duly implementing the guidance provided to Member States by the 2019 
and 2003 Council Recommendations on social protection and on health and safety at work 
for self-employed. Moreover, as recommended by the Commission (24), self-employed and 
non-standard workers should be granted equivalent opportunities and benefits as those for 
employees to opt into supplementary pension schemes in the context of auto-enrolment. 

Collective  bargaining  for  self-employed  workers  can  help  improve  their  working 
conditions and economic security. The Guidelines on the application of EU competition 
law  to  collective  agreements  regarding  the  working  conditions  of  solo  self-employed 
people, adopted in 2022, clarify the conditions under which they can engage in collective 
bargaining without breaching EU antitrust rules.  

5. 

ENABLING FACTORS: TO MAINTAIN AND PROMOTE QUALITY JOBS  

By fostering a competitive labour market that upholds labour rights and promotes social 
dialogue  and  collective  bargaining,  the  EU  can  attract  and  retain  talent,  unlock  new 
opportunities, and ensure that workers and companies fully benefit from the single market. 
Adequate funding and quality public services are also essential to create and sustain quality 
jobs. 

Effective enforcement of EU legislation 

Upholding workers’ rights is a central element of fair and competitive labour markets 
and  part  of  the  EU  acquis.  Enforcement  remains  uneven  across  Member  States. 
Improving the enforcement of workers’ rights requires monitoring correct transposition, 
addressing  complaints  effectively,  and  maintaining  a  continuous  dialogue  with  national 
authorities and social partners.  

Initiatives  are  needed  to  ensure  EU  social  rights  are  a  reality  on  the  ground. 
Developing  tools  and  guidance  on  EU  labour  rights  can  strengthen  enforcement,  raise 

(23) 

(24) 

Directive (EU) 2018/957 of 28 June 2018 amending Directive 96/71/EC concerning the posting of 
workers in the framework of the provision of services 
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=PI_COM:C(2025)9300 

12 

 
 
 
 
awareness and build administrative capacity so the Commission will work closely with EU 
agencies, including ELA and EU-OSHA to develop them, building on good examples, such 
as EU-OSHA’s Online Interactive Risk Assessment tools. Labour inspections help deter 
unlawful practices, and new technologies such as AI will be explored to make them more 
targeted and effective.  

It is also crucial to monitor job quality across the EU. Tracking progress is a joint effort 
between the Commission, Member States and the EU social partners. The tools and data 
provided by EU Agencies offer valuable insights. In parallel, through the EMCO’s Joint 
Assessment Framework and the European Semester, trend monitoring, including through 
robust demographic and territorial data, will guide evidence-based policymaking.  

The EU’s commitment to social dialogue, our collective strength and competitive edge 

Social dialogue, including collective bargaining, are essential for quality of jobs. They 
ensure that workplace policies can adapt to evolving economic, technological and social 
realities and help keep European companies competitive.  

In many Member States social dialogue and collective bargaining are under pressure. 
Collective bargaining coverage has declined in 19 out of 27 Member States, dropping from 
about 77% in 2005 to 66% in 2024 (25). While 80% of EU employees have access to some 
form of collective representation to express their views, many lack formal participation 
channels. Significant sectoral disparities persist, with 56% of agricultural workers lacking 
representation, compared to 11% or less in public administration, education, and financial 
services  (26).  The  Commission  will  continue  to  support  social  dialogue  and  collective 
bargaining  through  EU  legislation,  policy,  administrative  and  financial  means.  It  is 
supporting EMCO in its work to improve data collection on social dialogue and sharing 
best practice to encourage mutual learning, contributing to the implementation of the 2023 
Council  Recommendation  on  Strengthening  Social  Dialogue  in  the  European  Union. 
Collective bargaining, when promoted through social conditionalities in public funding, 
allows workers to benefit from the support provided to industry. 

Guaranteeing  the  autonomy  and  contractual  freedom  of  the  social  partners  is 
essential. EU financial means will remain available for European, national, and candidate 
country  social  partners  to  strengthen  their  capacity  for  meaningful  engagement  and 
agreements, notably through the EU budget.  

From policy to practice: EU funds for job quality 

EU funding plays  a crucial role in translating policies into tangible results. With a 
budget of EUR 141.3 billion for 2021-2027, ESF+ is the EU’s main funding instrument 
for  investing  in  people.  The  Social  Investment  and  Skills  Window  of  the  InvestEU 
programme supports social investments notably in microenterprises, education, and social 
infrastructure through budget guarantees. NextGenerationEU supports direct investments 
in skills, alongside structural labour-market reforms that enhance access to quality jobs, 
with Member States allocating EUR 40.6 billion to these efforts. The European Regional 

(25) 
(26) 

OECD/AIAS ICTWSS database, Policy brief, statistical annex (September 2025) 
 Eurofound,  Self-employment  in  the  EU:  Job  quality  and  developments  in  social  protection,  30 
January 2024. 

13 

 
 
 
Development  Fund  (ERDF)  and  the  Talent  Booster  Mechanism  support  vulnerable 
workers in disadvantaged areas, digitalisation, and a fair transition via the Just Transition 
Fund.  

The  proposed  National  and  Regional  Partnership  Plans  in  the  next  Multi-annual 
Financial Framework are designed to steer significant investment supporting quality 
employment, for example skills’ development, health protection and digital enablers. The 
Commission proposes that, as a minimum, 14% of the funds of any National and Regional 
Partnership Plan (excluding ringfenced amounts for agriculture and Social Climate Fund) 
will be dedicated to social objectives, with a view to keeping a high level of ambition in 
financing  ESF  type  of  actions.  In  addition,  the  European  Competitiveness  Fund  will 
support skills’ development investment in particular in strategic sectors.  

Sector specific instruments are also enablers of quality jobs. Agriculture and fisheries 
face  workforce  challenges  such  as  attracting  young  farmers  and  fishers,  ensuring  fair 
working conditions, and addressing gender gaps.  The Commission adopted a Vision for 
Agriculture and Food and proposed a simpler, targeted CAP post-2027 with measures that 
include  social  conditionality  to  support  good  working  conditions  and  support  for  farm 
relief services. The Ocean Pact’s Vision 2040 for Fisheries and Aquaculture and the Blue 
Generational  Renewal  Strategy promote  a thriving blue economy  and support the well-
being of people living in coastal areas. 

Quality services for all and across regions 

Quality services are a key enabler for employment and labour market transitions. By 
providing accessible early childhood education and care, long-term care, and healthcare, 
these services empower millions of workers – especially women – to engage in paid work 
and career advancement. Robust health systems with relevantly staffed health workforce 
play a critical role in ensuring the health and well-being of communities.  

The  health  and  care  sector  enables  millions  of  people,  parents,  caregivers  and  workers 
across all industries to fully participate in the labour market. The Commission is working 
towards a more coherent framework for addressing long-term care workforce challenges 
and aims to present a European Care Deal in 2027. Furthermore, through EU4Health, the 
EU  strengthens  health  system  resilience  by  supporting  workforce  planning,  nurse 
retention, digital transformation.  

Regions and local communities are central to quality jobs. Of the 26–27 million people 
working  in  the  public  sector,  around  17–19  million  are  employed  at  local  and  regional 
level (27).  These  roles  span  administration,  education  and  vocational  training,  public 
services, healthcare, social care, transport and emergency services. Promoting quality jobs 
in these areas supports regional attractiveness and development.  

(27) 

 OECD, Subnational Public Employment in OECD and EU Countries (November 2024). 

14 

 
 
 
 
6. 

NEXT STEPS 

Quality jobs build on numerous policy actions. They are a strong building block of the 
European Social Model and of the European Pillar of Social Rights, and key for attracting 
and maintaining talent in Europe. As announced by President von der Leyen in the State 
of the Union address in September 2025, the Commission will propose a Quality Jobs 
Act to complement the actions in the Roadmap and strengthen their impact. 

In  line  with  Article  154  (2)  TFEU,  the  Commission  is  launching  the  first-stage 
consultation of European social partners to obtain their views on the possible direction 
of  EU  action  to  further  improve  quality  jobs.  This  will  complement  the  two-stage 
consultation  on  the  right  to  disconnect  and  telework,  finalised  in  October  2025.  The 
Quality  Jobs  Act  may  be  accompanied  by  non-legislative  initiatives  and  will  take  into 
account  the  diversity  of  national  systems.  This  will  allow  sufficient  space  for  social 
partners’ implementation and respect their autonomy and contractual freedom, minimising 
administrative burden on companies in an effort of consolidation and simplification. 

The Quality Jobs Act, alongside with the rest of the EU social acquis, will ensure that the 
world  of  work  keeps  pace  with  the  modern  economy.  The  growth  of  the  EU  economy 
requires a modern labour market that ensures at the same time talent, mobility, flexible but 
robust  skills’  foundations,  and  a  trusted  environment  where  workers  feel  protected  and 
reach  their  best  possible  potential,  contributing  in  this  way  to  the  EU’s  resilience  and 
competitiveness. 

15