The Employment and Social Affairs Commission promotes the improvement of living and working conditions throughout Europe. Social cohesion, inclusion and integration policies play a central role for improving living and working conditions in Europe. Decent pay and retirement allocations, health and safety in the workplace, working time and achieving a good work-life balance are the focus of CESI’s SOC Commission. Trade union rights and social dialogue are promoted as a means to strengthen Social Europe. Social Europe needs to make more progress, but to do so Social Europe needs supporters and champions. Sustainable and decent living and working conditions need to be at least on an equal footing over more competition and market rules. In this way, Europe will engage more with its citizens and citizens will engage more in Europe. In 2026, the SOC Commission will focus on topics including advocacy on:
- a new Quality Jobs Act and new legislation on AIÂ at work and a right to disconnect
- a Public Procurement Act
- a proposal for a European Social Security Pass
- strengthening the European Labour Authority
- a Skills portability initiative
- the implementation of a new Action Plan on the Implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights
- ongoing negotiations on a new EU Traineeships Directive
- the ongoing revision of the EU Regulation 883 on social security coordination
- the implementation of recent employment related directives such those on the platform economy and minimum wages
- a reform of privateand occupational pensions in Europe and amendments to the European Personal Pension Product (PEPP) Regulation and Directive on Institutions for Occupational Retirement Provision (IORP) II
A dedicated Working Group on the Future of Work, chaired by Sara Rinaudo (Confsal), was established in summer 2020 and operates in teh frame of the SOC Commission. The working group brings together the various debates circling around the future of work in CESI’s trade union network and prepares CESI’s interest representation in this area. In the context of the Covid crisis, the working group has been focussing its work in particular on the need to regulate telework for the mutual benefit of employers and workers. The working group brings together members of interested member organisations and are supported in their work by the General Secretariat. It usually meets several times per year and reports to the SOC Commission on a regular basis.
