European economic and Social Committee - 99 rue Belliard
1040 Brussels
Belgium
Europe Day on 9 May commemorates the date of the Schuman Declaration, which was the starting point for today’s European Union. It is a chance to reflect on what solidarity has built and what we hope to achieve in the future.
It is also a chance to make EU citizens feel even more strongly that they are part of something bigger, as expressed in the Europe Day interinstitutional theme of "togetherness".
The Commission proposed in March 2021 new pay transparency measures, such as pay information for job seekers, a right to know the pay levels for workers doing the same work, as well as gender pay gap reporting obligations for big companies. The proposal aims to strengthen the tools for workers to claim their rights and facilitate access to justice. Employers will not be allowed to ask job seekers for their pay history and they will have to provide pay related anonymised data upon employee request. Employees will also have the right to compensation for discrimination in pay.
The Conference on the Future of Europe offers a unique opportunity to improve the Union's ability to deal with these issues, not least by involving social partners and EU citizens who can offer concrete insights into their actual needs and expectations.
The Porto Social Summit (7- 8 May) will give political impetus to the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights and its Action Plan, underlining its central role in the European recovery and the adaptation to the climate, digital and demographic transitions. It will also provide an opportunity to reinforce dialogue with social partners, civil society organisations and with citizens.
560th Plenary session, in the presence of AdinaVălean, European Commissioner for Transport, and Nicolas Schmit, European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights.
The pandemic transformation is causing a significant shift in the global balance of power. The EU must act as soon as possible to boost Europe's economic resilience in the COVID-19 context and build its open strategic autonomy. This includes, among other elements, strengthening the international role of the euro, increasing the resilience of European financial market infrastructures, and improving the enforcement of EU sanctions.
Against this background, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) welcomes the recent communication of the European Commission on The European economic and financial system: fostering openness, strength and resilience [COM(2021) 32 final] and will hold a public hearing to discuss the specific policy recommendations and key actions it contains. The hearing will feed directly into the upcoming EESC opinion on the Commission's communication and the related inter-institutional debate.
The new Roma framework presents seven areas of focus for the next 10 years: fighting antigypsyism and discrimination; reducing poverty and social exclusion; promoting Roma participation; access to quality education; access to quality and sustainable employment; improving Roma health and equal access to housing. It provides targets to be attained by 2030 and recommendations for their attainment.
The hearing aims to look at the proposals and plans outlined in the new Roma framework in more detail. It will also include a discussion with civil society organisations, giving them the opportunity to voice their views and expectations thereon.
To improve the implementation of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights it is necessary to empower civil society organisations, rights defenders and justice practitioners, and strengthen people’s awareness of their rights under the Charter. CSOs and social partners are operating at grassroots levels and can help spread awareness and foster implementation. Moreover, the social partners have a special role in contributing to the implementation and defence of socio-economic fundamental rights.
The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) will hold a major online conference on Energy poverty at the crossroads of the European Pillar of Social Rights and the European Green Deal on 20 April 2021 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
