Employment guidelines - Related Opinions

Against a background of rising poverty levels during the crisis, levels that remain high in many Member States, in particular among the unemployed, this own-initiative opinion would address the huge differences in levels of protection under national unemployment insurance systems within the EU.
Possible standards in this respect could be:

• a minimum standard for the net replacement rate of unemployment benefits;
• a minimum standard of coverage ratio of unemployed people receiving unemployment payments;
• a minimum standard for the duration of unemployment benefit entitlement;
• a right to (re)qualification and training

With the objective of promoting upward social convergence within the EU, the proposal for such standards is a concrete step towards effective implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights recently announced by the EU institutions in Gothenburg.

In a context where the European Commission proposed the reiteration of the 2018 Employment guidelines, the EESC opinion refers to and builds on the findings and recommendations it made in its 2018 opinion. Furthermore, it develops some additional aspects in view of recent developments and documents of the European Commission – such as the 2019 country reports. Thank you for clicking on the title of the opinion to read some more on the opinion's content!

Delivering on balanced economic growth and social progress should be the guiding principle for the debate on the social dimension of Europe. A clear road map for the implementation of European Pillar of Social Rights is advisable with clear assignment of tasks coupled with accountability. The social dimension debate is connected to the debate on deepening the EMU. Social policy has to be embedded in a different EU economic policy. A strong EU can shape globalisation and digitalisation to the benefit of all.