Debate: Action Plan for the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights, in preparation of the Social Summit in Porto in May
Date: WEDNESDAY, 10 MARCH 2021
Speaker: Ana Paula Zacarias
Language: EN

While diversity is a key characteristic of our Union, there are some basic ideas about society that unite us and guide us all in the European Union. There is the idea that the economy should serve people and not the other way round. There is the idea that people come before profit. There is the idea that a good society, a society that thrives, is a society that embraces all and offers equal opportunities for all and solidarity to those in need so no one is left behind.  A society built around these principles offers not just fairness, but offers resilience, creativity and sustainability, and provides us with solid foundations to face the challenges of the present and the future, the COVID crisis and the digital and climate transitions. The European social model has demonstrated its worth in the face of great tests, but it has also been put under strain by globalisation, demographic changes, the great financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic. All of these challenges have hit the weakest parts of our society the hardest and tested our solidarity.  Since 2017, the European Pillar of Social Rights has been our compass on the road to creating a social Europe. We haven’t always met the goals that we set ourselves, but their mere existence has set the bar high. We have made significant progress by adopting initiatives such as the Youth Guarantee, the European Accessibility Act, the Directive on Work—Life Balance and many more.  But now it’s time to act. It’s time to give new impetus to the pillar and turn its 20 principles into action. In this regard, we welcome the Commission’s newly adopted action plan for the European Pillar of Social Rights and all the associated instruments. These are significant steps forward for the construction of a stronger social Europe. In the coming years, national recovery and resilience plans, together with the Multiannual Financial Framework, will also provide a unique opportunity to invest in people, employment, skills and welfare, ensuring a sustainable and digital recovery.  We welcome the action plan as an outline of concrete action, articulating the Commission’s efforts with those of the Member States with an active involvement of social partners and civil society, without forgetting the key role of the European Parliament in this endeavour. It includes concrete targets with a detailed timeline of planned initiatives that will bring us a step further in updating social rights. Strengthening the social dimension of the EU is the central theme of the Portuguese Presidency. We want to use our time at the helm of the Council to strengthen Europe’s resilience and boost confidence in citizens in an inclusive model of growth. The adoption of the action plan is a key milestone on the road to the Porto Social Summit. The summit, as you know, will be organised around two events. On the first day, 7 May 2021, we will have a high—level conference that will bring together Member States, European institutions, social partners and representatives of civil society to give impetus to the implementation of the pillar, emphasising its central role for the next decade. The outcome of the conference will fit into the informal European Council that will take place the following day on 8 May. It will be an occasion to rally all forces to renew the commitment to implement the European Pillar around the Porto Declaration. The ambition that we have set out for this exercise needs to take into account the diversity of the social realities of each Member State. This is our starting point. The action plan clearly defines the road ahead with the goal of finding common ground, a road towards more convergence. According to the latest Eurobarometer, nearly nine in ten Europeans say that a social Europe is important for their daily lives. This confirms that so much still needs to be done. It confirms the relevance of the Porto Summit and also confirms, in my view, that the social dimension will be an important theme of the Conference on the Future of Europe, a Europe that cares about people, workers, families, business, a Europe that supports employment, skills, social protection and competitive economies, a Europe that is more convergent, more cohesive and more inclusive. Over the years, the European Parliament has been a strong voice in defence of these goals. The own—initiative report on a strong social Europe for just transitions, adopted by this House last December, is a timely contribution to the Porto Summit, proving that social Europe remains high on the Parliament’s list of priorities.  In this context, we look forward to continuing to work with you, amongst other things on the proposal for adequate minimum wages and binding pay transparency measures. We know that we do not always agree on every single item – on the level of ambition or on the speed of change – but that must not stand in the way of us working together when there is such a need to do so. The Council is also very much looking forward to starting its work on a topic inspired by the Parliament, the European Child Guarantee. Let’s unite our forces: institutions, Member States, Commission, Parliament, social partners and civil society to make sure that we can progress towards these goals for the benefit of all citizens, making the Porto Summit a stepping stone in our joint commitment to overcome the crisis and build a strong social Europe.