The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) has issued an opinion on the European Commission’s proposal for a Council Decision on guidelines for the employment policies of Member States. These guidelines form part of the Spring package of the European Semester and are intended to support national labour market reforms, promote inclusive growth, and align with the European Pillar of Social Rights (EPSR) Action Plan and the Union of Skills initiative. The opinion reflects on the evolving geopolitical and economic landscape, labour shortages, and the need for inclusive and future-ready employment strategies.
The opinion focuses on the legislative proposals package "Omnibus IV" whose measures aim at cutting red tape for small-mid caps and modernising EU rules as regards digitalisation and common specifications.
The EESC emphasises that peace must remain a core EU priority and cautions against focusing solely on military threats while overlooking other serious risks to human life. It stresses the importance of diplomacy for conflict resolution and crisis prevention wherever possible.The EESC supports a comprehensive, inclusive European defence strategy that supplements military readiness with civil preparedness. It endorses the European Commission’s Joint white Paper for European Defence – Readiness 2030 and calls for a coordinated EU approach that treats defence, peace and security as shared public goods, underpinned by strong legal, institutional and financial frameworks with democratic oversight.
