Summer Days 2026: Quality Jobs, Competitiveness and Europe's Social Contract

Held against the backdrop of record summer temperatures, the discussions reflected on priorities in vision of the Quality Jobs Act in the framework of digitalisation and artificial intelligence, decarbonisation, demographic change and growing geopolitical competition.

Competitiveness and quality jobs: two sides of the same coin?

Do competitiveness and quality jobs reinforce each other or compete against one another?

Participants broadly agreed that Europe's competitiveness cannot rely on lower labour standards. Instead, long-term productivity depends on investment in workers, skills, health and innovation. At the same time, European companies must remain globally competitive if they are to continue creating high-quality employment.

Mario Draghi in his Report was clear: industrial competitiveness should go hand-in-hand with a stronger social contract. Europe's digital and green transitions must place workers at their centre.  

On the one hand, artificial intelligence and algorithmic management can improve workplace safety, productivity and efficiency, but only if they remain transparent, accountable and human-centred.  

At the same time, growing psychosocial risks—including stress, surveillance and mental health challenges—require stronger prevention, workplace adaptation and open dialogue.  

Every job can become a quality job through better organisation, training and investment in workers, therefore reskilling and upskilling are essential to help employees move between sectors. Here, public employment services, employers and social partners play a key role in recognising transferable skills and ensuring that transitions take place smoothly without leaving workers behind.

A broader definition of quality jobs

The debate expanded well beyond wages and contracts. Wider social conditions directly influence quality of jobs.  

Housing affordability, childcare availability, work-related physical and psychological conditions, and the climate crisis, are affecting the quality of life and work life, and contribute to hinder productivity, competitiveness and Europe's long-term economic resilience.

What was highlighted

• Quality jobs and competitiveness are mutually reinforcing. Europe's competitiveness depends on investing in people rather than competing through lower labour standards.

• AI must remain human-centred. Digital tools should enhance work—not replace accountability, empathy or worker participation.

• Skills are Europe's competitive advantage. Reskilling, upskilling and recognising transferable skills will determine whether workers successfully navigate the green and digital transitions.

• Social dialogue matters most (but only when it is meaningful). Consultation should go beyond formal compliance and genuinely shape policy outcomes.

• Industrial ecosystems extend beyond factories. Companies support entire local communities, supply chains, education systems and public services.

• Quality jobs cannot be separated from broader living conditions. Housing, childcare, public services and workplace wellbeing increasingly influence labour market participation and productivity.

Looking ahead

As the European Commission prepares its Quality Jobs Initiative, the discussions at Summer Days demonstrated both broad agreement and significant political differences over how Europe should move forward.

While participants´view differed on need of new legislation versus better implementation of existing rules, there was widespread recognition that Europe's success will depend on combining industrial competitiveness with social resilience.

Future debates are likely to focus on AI governance in the workplace, skills for the green transition, psychosocial health, labour mobility and how quality jobs can support Europe's strategic autonomy in an increasingly competitive global economy.

The Summer Days made one point particularly clear: Europe's future competitiveness will ultimately be measured not only by economic performance, but also by the quality of work and working lives it creates for its citizens.

This event was organised in the framework of out project “PillAct” co-funded by the European Union.

Did you miss this event? Watch the live streaming here: https://bit.ly/4uY43hL  

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