Workers’ rights must not be weakened amid deregulation

As the EU conducts its regular revision of its employment guidelines, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) stresses that the rights of workers must not be jeopardised amid a push to prioritise deregulation. Ensuring the security and fair treatment of workers is particularly relevant when dealing with the increasing prevalence of AI systems, complex subcontracting and gender imbalances in the workplace. 

At its October plenary session, the EESC adopted an opinion on the Commission’s proposal for revised employment guidelines, which provide a common framework for national employment policies. While the EESC welcomes many of the recommendations, including the reduction of administrative burdens for businesses and the proposal to shift taxation away from labour, it highlights several key considerations for the new guidelines, focused on the protection of workers’ rights. The EESC also calls for higher collective bargaining coverage and effective monitoring of progress through the European Semester. 

‘Cutting red tape must not mean cutting workers’ rights. Our opinion on the employment guidelines makes clear that simplification must never come at the expense of labour standards,’ said rapporteur David Hafner following the opinion’s adoption.   

Subcontracting chains in the workplace

The opinion focuses on the prevention of abusive employment arrangements, particularly in the form of complex subcontracting chains. Though common in many sectors, these chains often take the form of highly tangled arrangements with multiple intermediaries and contractual layers that can increase vulnerability to labour exploitation and make the enforcement of labour standards more difficult. 

‘Complex subcontracting chains must not become a way to evade responsibility for workers’ rights. With this opinion, we call on Member States to tackle abusive practices, strengthen enforcement and ensure that workers are effectively protected throughout subcontracting chains,’ Mr Hafner further explained. 

The EESC highlights that, in order to strengthen legal certainty, establish a fair competitive environment for companies and – most importantly – protect workers, the EU must ensure transparency and effective cooperation between authorities, as well as the effective allocation of responsibility for compliance with labour and social rights. 

Protecting workers facing the AI boom 

The opinion also addresses the debate surrounding the adoption of AI throughout the workplace. The EESC recognises that AI tools can improve access to employment, health and safety, and training in the workplace, but it stresses that these tools can also involve the extensive processing of workers’ personal data and create new possibilities for monitoring. 

The EESC reminds Member States that the deployment of AI tools in public employment services could raise the risk of exacerbating algorithmic biases against certain groups. It urges Member States to pay particular attention to the impact that automated recruitment systems that profile and match job applicants could have on young people. 

The productivity gains sought by the European Commission in these updated guidelines must be pursued while respecting the rights of workers, the EESC states. The Committee further argues that Member States must ensure that the use of AI and algorithmic management tools does not compromise workers’ privacy and data rights or lead to work intensification.

Continuing the fight for gender equality

The EESC’s opinion also highlights the progress that still needs to be made in establishing equality between men and women in the workplace. The opinion notes that women remain significantly more likely than men to work part-time or to be unemployed. Furthermore, the labour market participation of women is still restricted by insufficient access to care services and the unequal distribution of unpaid care responsibilities. 

The EESC stresses that the deadline for transposing the EU Pay Transparency Directive expired on 7 June 2026, but that only four Member States had done so by the deadline. Without the full and effective implementation of this Directive, there is a risk that the principle of equal pay will not be enforced.

In the meantime, measures should be put in place to improve the availability of childcare to parents, as well as protecting the working conditions of the care workforce and promoting a fairer distribution of care duties between women and men. 

Reaffirming the right to lifelong learning

The opinion underlines that access to lifelong learning remains a major challenge across Europe. According to figures cited in the opinion, only 39.5% of adults participated in training in 2022, far below the EU’s target of 60% by 2030. The situation is particularly concerning for low-skilled adults, whose participation rate was as low as 18.4%. 

The EESC calls on Member States to make high-quality training more accessible throughout people’s working lives, particularly for those facing financial constraints, care responsibilities or other barriers to participation. It also encourages the evaluation of measures such as paid leave for training, which could help workers acquire new skills without having to sacrifice their income.

Background 

Employment guidelines, adopted each year by the Council of the European Union, are a set of guidelines that are communicated to Member States, who take these into account when designing their own employment policies. The Council works with the Commission, the Parliament, the EESC, the Committee of Region and the Employment Committee to adopt the guidelines that are based upon a general analysis of the EU’s employment situation. In 2026, the guidelines are being given a full update, making the EESC’s opinion of particular importance.