Important steps towards a fairer Europe

Dear members, partners, and friends,

This month has been an important moment for social Europe, as the European Parliament has approved several important legislative acts, following lengthy informal (‘trilogue’) negotiations with the Council. As CESI we have deployed advocacy together with our members on all the following files:

Firstly, the EU Net Zero Industry Act, a commitment to support the EU´s capacities to produce net zero technologies, also as a response to the US “Inflation Reduction Act”. The integration of certain social and employment considerations aims at ensuring that environmental goals do not overshadow the need for decent work standards and social dialogue.

Furthermore, the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence (CSDD) directive obliges companies to monitor, assess and report the environmental and human rights impacts of their production and activities throughout their supply chains. It is about accountability, to ensure that corporations are responsible not just to their shareholders, but explicitly to their workers, to society and the environment at large.

Our advocacy has also played a role in the directive aimed at protecting workers in the platform economy. The new legislation wants to redress misclassifications of workers as ‘self-employed’ and it aims at regulating and controlling the use of algorithms in managing workers, paving the way for fairer employment practices in the platform economy.

Another important step was the approval of the directive on combating violence against women. This legislation introduces comprehensive measures to reduce violence against women, also ensuring a safer and more equitable work environment for all.

Lastly, the new EU regulation banning products made with forced labour not only prohibits the sale within the EU of goods produced with forced labour but also sets up a robust mechanism for investigation and enforcement by authorities.

The European parliament’s approvals must still be rubberstamped by the Council, which we hope will be a formality and happen swiftly. Ahead of the upcoming EU elections, we can hopefully welcome important signs to the EU citizens and workers that the EU can deliver for them.

After the elections, our task then must turn to vigilant implementation. We must monitor the impact of the new EU laws and advocate for adjustments if needed.

We thank you for your steadfast support, cooperation and commitment to CESI!

Klaus Heeger

Secretary General