​CategoriesCategoriesEnglishJUSTICE, EUCross-border investigation breaks up major art forgery network11 November 2024 Police in Belgium France and Spain have broken up a large network of art forgers A total of 38 people have been charged and more than 2,000 fake works of art seized worth a potential 200 million euros European judicial cooperation service Eurojust reported on Monday Investigators found some 200 fake artworks during a search in Italy in March 2023 The subsequent investigation revealed the existence of a network of forgers in Belgium Spain and France working with complicit auction houses in Italy to sell the works European investigation warrants were issued against six suspects in Belgium The inquiry led to the discovery of forgery studios and the seizure of fake works of art and more than 500 falsified certificates and authenticity seals The forgers faked works by artists such as Banksy Italian experts estimate the art would have fetched 200 million euros if it had been sold at auction exhibitions were organised in advance and catalogues were published The authorities avoided a major disruption of the art auction industry by preventing these works from entering the market All the items seized have been handed to the Italian authorities for further analysis The Belgian part of the investigation was handled by the judicial authorities in Walloon Brabant and the local police zone covering Lasne Copy linkGet updates in your mailboxYour email addressSubscribeBy clicking "Subscribe" I confirm I have read and agree to the Privacy Policy rapid and high-quality information 24 hours a day from Belgium and abroad to all Belgian media not to mention entertainment and lifestyle our journalists and press photographers produce hundreds of photos and news stories Since the end of March 2022 English has been added as a language businesses and various organisations that need reliable information Belga News Agency also offers a comprehensive range of corporate services to meet all their communication needs www.belganewsagency.eu Social Europe Frank Vandenbroucke, Francesco Corti and Gerrit Van de Mosselaer 1st August 2024 The Belgian presidency of the Council of the EU has set the social-policy ambition for the next European Commission to follow the Belgian government had tabled a comprehensive social and employment agenda The inter-institutional declaration was signed by the prime minister in the name of all EU member states bar Sweden and Austria by von der Leyen on behalf of the commission and Roberta Metsola for the European Parliament as well as by the social partners and civil-society representatives The declaration foregrounds the EPSR as a compass to navigate contemporary challenges and develop appropriate policy responses yes to more competitivenes—but built on quality jobs fair working conditions and adequate social protection for all The Franco-German competitiveness pitch is premised on more innovation (including via industrial policy) and investment in a deepened single market The La Hulpe Declaration sets out how this should be implemented to benefit everyone: The declaration calls inter alia for a renewal of EU anti-discrimination strategies, including an ambitious new gender-equality strategy, as well as further actions to guarantee affordable and accessible housing and to support equality impact assessments in policy design and evaluation. It reiterates that social dialogue and collective bargaining are fundamental to the European social model, and democracy and represent a tool to anticipate and manage transitions the presidencies worked diligently to ensure that member states would retain the ability to invest in social healthcare and labour-market policies while respecting fiscal constraints member states will have a legal basis to include social and health investments in their national plans enhancing flexibility in budget adjustments Well-designed social investments and reforms produce returns in terms of growth through their impact on productivity and ‘human capital’—including via stronger innovative capacity and absorption of new technologies—and/or employment opportunities which ultimately improve countries’ debt sustainability The council called on the commission to: establish a ‘knowledge hub’ on social investment to enhance mutual learning and technical assistance; continue improving the timeliness and availability of social indicators to reduce lags in assessing poverty and inequality trends; and enhance member states’ access to data for policy evaluation and impact assessment while ensuring protection of personal data The first results of the engagement of the Belgian presidency are visible in the new commission political guidelines Yet for these to translate into concrete policy actions the proposed action plan must be put in place and concrete proposals for directives and regulations spelt out A key role will be played by the next commissioner in charge of jobs and social rights. The extraordinary work done in the social and employment domain over the past five years has also been thanks to the outgoing commissioner, Nicolas Schmit Equal ambition will be needed for the next five Gabriele Bischoff and Dennis Radke—to name only a few members of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL)—were critical in the passing of legislation and in teaming up with the Belgian presidency to strive for an ambitious social agenda It is vital that the same ambition and pressure is maintained in the new mandate member states will be required to present their medium-term fiscal plans Now it is up to each country to present its plan and choose the right balance of reforms and investments For many countries the margins are limited and so trades-off will soon emerge on which policies to prioritise In such a context inclusion of social investments and reforms becomes even more important and hence the incentive to use the guidelines for measuring the returns In sum, the social-policy road remains long and winding But the agenda is clear and the task is of implementation Frank Vandenbroucke is deputy prime minister and minister for social affairs and public health in Belgium Dr Francesco Corti is an adviser to the Belgian deputy prime minister and minister of social affairs and health and an associate research fellow at the Centre for European Policy Studies He chaired the informal EU working group on social investment launched by the Spanish and Belgian presidencies Gerrit Van de Mosselaer is an adviser to the Belgian deputy prime minister and minister of social Affairs and health His background is as a legal counsel and social-policy adviser in social criminal law public management in social security and EU social affairs The Spring issue of The Progressive Post is out the US – hitherto the cornerstone of Western security – is destabilising the world order it helped to build The US security umbrella is apparently closing on Europe Ukraine finds itself less and less protected and the traditional defender of free trade is now shutting the door to foreign goods How will the European Union respond to this dramatic landscape change assess how the US president's recent announcements will impact international trade and explore the risks  and opportunities that algorithms pose for workers Our Mission Team Article Submission Advertisements Membership Themes Archive Politics Archive Economy Archive Society Archive Ecology Archive RSS Feed Legal Disclosure Privacy Policy Copyright Subscribe to the latest news from the Nordic Labour Journal by e-mail “The declaration shows the way for the labour market and social policy for the next five years It provides hope through clear-cut rules for a just labour market and addresses social dumping bad working conditions and low wages,” says Nikolaj Villumsen part of The Left in the European Parliament Nikolaj Villumsen is happy the EU's employment policy for the next five years has reached such an advanced stage Nikolaj Villumsen has a seat on the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs and took part in the negotiations on the La Hulpe Declaration He also participated in the high-level conference as part of the EU Parliament’s official delegation Villumsen was elected to the European Parliament in 2019 but is not running for the next period due to his party’s rotation principle he was happy that the EU’s employment policy for the next five years had reached such an advanced stage “The social summit will set a different agenda for Europe from the competitive mindset that currently dominates This is about creating secure jobs and providing protection in the workplace I would have liked to see an even more ambitious programme but the conservative governments in some member states put a stop to that,” says Nikolaj Villumsen He returns to the high-level meeting in La Hulpe and concludes that “nearly everyone was there” – EU President Ursula von der Leyen the ETUC President and employers’ representatives from BusinessEurope and SMEunited ”Everyone” was in Belgian La Hulpe to discus the future of employment policy which had been against the declaration from the beginning and Nikolaj Villumsen thinks it was unfathomable that the country chose not to send a representative He also takes a swipe at the Swedish government which was not there and did not sign “Employers and the Swedish government want fewer laws and more competitiveness but the market has not delivered social security and fair labour market rules There is now global competition for green industrial policy Through fair social transition we can get them here,” says Nikolaj Villumsen He is worried about the far right gaining a majority after the EU parliamentary elections Already the liberal-conservative EPP group has begun backing away from climate goals and is increasingly cooperating with parties on the right “A right-wing parliamentary majority would spell disaster for the climate and the green transition,” says Nikolaj Villumsen choose not to sign the La Hulpe Declaration for the coming five years “We did not want to risk repeating the mistake made in 2017 with a social summit which had consequences that Sweden later had to row back on,” Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson told the Swedish parliament’s EU Committee on 16 April He underlined that issues such as wage formation and welfare policy should remain a national concern The current Swedish government is critical to the former Prime Minister Stefan Löven who hosted the 2017 social summit in Gothenburg It resulted in the European Pillar of Social Rights where one of the EU’s directives eventually became the controversial legislation on minimum wages arguing this was an issue for the social partners The minimum wage directive was considered a direct threat to the Swedish model and the same argument was made in Denmark The social partners and governments in both countries agreed and put up significant resistance The working hours directive has also faced controversy in Sweden lately especially among emergency workers who feel the directive forces them to work new and worse shift patterns The La Hulpe Declaration is a voluntary agreement to stick to an action plan for employment in Europe for the coming five years “It shall serve as our compass for fostering a fair transition ensuring that no one is left behind,” reads the Declaration alluding to the big changes ahead brought by the green transition and AI Ursula von der Leyen pointed out in her speech the importance of Europe being both economically and socially strong citing examples from the dramatic crises during the current parliamentary period "Our union must deliver for both people and businesses," said Ursula von der Leyen The EU and the rest of the world was hit by the pandemic The world had just begun to open up again when Russia invaded Ukraine with the resulting energy crisis These crises of historic proportions could have turned into dramatic social crises This was because of Europe's great resilience but also because we put the right policies in place.” Many predicted mass unemployment in the wake of the pandemic lockdown “More than 75 per cent of Europeans are employed Because we have built sound economic policies Our Union must deliver for people and for business,” Ursula von der Leyen said in her speech When the social pillar was adopted in Gothenburg in 2017 during a summit initiated by the Social Democrat Prime Minister Stefan Löfven it was received with what might be called indulgent benevolence ”A very nice declaration” was a common comment a researcher at the Europan University Institute in Florence He is in his final year of writing a PhD in political science focussing on how the EU’s social policy has developed over the past three decades Schreurs has written the analysis ”Europe’s Social  Revival: From Gothenburg to next Generation EU” on commission from the Swedish Institute for European Policy Studies Sven Schreurs is a researcher at the Europeiska University Institute in Florence “Changes linked to the social pillar have been slow but now the pillar of social rights has become a monument for big changes Many countries see it as a useful guide when working with social and labour market issues,” says Sven Schreurs The declaration following the Gothenburg conference has been criticised for presenting old ideas in a new wrapping After the economic crisis in the 1990s and around the turn of the century both a social and economic agenda emerged which was reflected in the Lisbon Treaty the meeting in Gothenburg added something new and provided political support for the work on social issues Sweden and Denmark have been sceptical to the minimum wage directive but Denmark has become more active after the platform directive showed how the EU can bring something to the table when it comes to ‘new’ social issues,” says Sven Schreurs he and his colleague David Bokhorst conclude that the social pillar has been consolidated and is here to stay uncertainty around what will happen after the European parliamentary elections There is currently a lot of support for the social agenda in most member states and with the social partners – the employers’ organisation BusinessEurope being the exception there is scepticism among most far-right parties which do not want an EU-level directive on social issues but there are exceptions here too – for instance Italy The Swedish government has said a clear no to the La Hulpe Declaration hope to be able to convince Austria to sign in time for the formal adaptation of the Declaration in June Receive Nordic Labour Journal's newsletter nine times a year Work Research InstituteOsloMet – Oslo Metropolitan University,Postboks 4 St The Nordic Council of Ministers is not responsible for the content where you'll find yourself surrounded by an mesmerising forest each turn reveals shimmering light effects and captivating projections that transport you into a surreal realm who doesn't crave a touch of magic in their life For information, tickets and reservations please check: Lanterna Magica - Winter Lights  something truly special is happening in Dinant: The Garden of Lights with a Smurfs theme It's more than just an exhibition – it's a place where fairy tales and creativity unite to craft a one-of-a-kind experience The grand opening is set for Friday, 15 November 2024. For full details on opening hours, tickets, and more, visit: Garden of Lights – Smurfs in Dinant The Luminescences Festival has returned to Amnéville The zoo is transformed with dazzling illuminations and cozy corners perfect for capturing unforgettable photos with your children this year brings an educational twist that every explorer will love For all the details on tickets, opening hours, and more, visit: Luminescences Parc Sainte-Croix will host a Winter Lights Trail inviting visitors to seek guidance from Amarok It's a mystical journey where mystery and enchantment blend seamlessly in a captivating forest setting For full details on tickets, opening hours, and more, visit: Parcs Sainte Croix's Facebook. If you're planning a trip to Paris with the kids don't miss the illuminated trails at Jardin d'Acclimatation This year's theme is sure to captivate young minds: Dinosaurs The Festival of the Dance of Dinosaurs runs from 29 November to 2 March 2025 and promises to be a spectacular experience For more details on tickets, opening hours, and other information, visit: Jardin d'Acclimatation de Paris. The Lantern Trail in Metz is returning this year and you and your family can expect even more magnificent displays Exciting new additions are in store, and all the latest details (in French) can be found on their website. The beloved lantern trail in the captivating garden of Sierck-les-Bains is back this year offering a unbelievable experience for all ages The entire town transforms into what many fondly call a "Mini Strasbourg." For more details, keep an eye on updates here: Parcours des Lanternes Head to Sarrebourg for a magical family outing that will transport you to Lapland Wander through a colorful lantern trail with giant Christmas ornaments Visit their website for more information: La Forêt Magique de Noël Multiple locations in Germany: Koblenz (near Luxembourg) Step into the Christmas magic in the Christmas Garden where glittering lights brighten the winter nights Stroll through a festive outdoor wonderland and get into the spirit Want more info? Visit the official page at Christmas Garden. We'll keep you posted with more festive discoveries in our upcoming articles.Until then enjoy the season and let’s TravelmatKanner Belgium have named their squad to face Canada on Saturday While they have yet to declare their starting XV the match day squad is an inexperienced one that includes 11 uncapped players with several of their top France-based professionals absent The makeup of the group is similar to that of Portugal with 15 local players currently participating in the Rugby Europe Super Cup with the Brussels Devils All of the new caps come from the domestic select side that have played four games with one win is the most experienced player professionally in the group with scrumhalf Tom Cocqu and winger Thomas Wallraf also in double-digits of test appearances Perpignan academy prop Charlesty Berguet and 6’7″ (2.00m) Marmande lock Guillaume Mortier are notable inclusions in the forwards second rows Sven D’Hooghe and Gillian Benoy and William van Bost are among the missing Also absent are halfback pairing Julien Berger and Antoine Vassart Tags November Internationals Rugby Europe Super Cup Two of the best teams in Major League Rugby will meet at Fort Quincy on … This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page “Competitiveness has been a controversial issue for Europe for a long time” The EU lacks an industrial strategy to remain competitive in the contemporary global market This was stated by the former prime minister and former president of the European Central Bank during his speech at the High Level Conference on the European Pillar of Social Rights in La Hulpe competitiveness has been a controversial issue for Europe” including in sectors like defense and energy we relied on a level playing field and the rules-based international order “We need a European Union that is fit for the world of today and tomorrow what I propose in the report that the President of the Commission asked me to prepare is a radical change But this is what is necessary,” concluded Draghi “The European Union lacks a strategy to keep pace in an increasingly ruthless race for leadership in new technologies Today we invest less than the United States and China in digital and advanced technologies and we have only four European technology operators among the top 50 globally We lack a strategy to protect our traditional industries from an uneven global playing field caused by a symmetry of regulations subsidies and trade policies,” Draghi explained “Without coordinated strategic policy actions at the European level some energy-intensive industries will have to move out of Europe or close down these industries not only have lower energy costs which directly threaten the ability of European companies to compete Without strategic and coordinated political actions it is logical that some of our industries will close their capacity or move outside the European Union” said Mario Draghi again a European policy is needed to guarantee the supply chain of critical raw materials an agenda for climate policy in Europe and challenging targets for electric vehicles,” he noted But in a world where some states control “many of the resources we need such a program must be combined with a plan to secure our supply chain: from critical minerals to batteries to charge infrastructure,” Draghi said “Another example where we are not leveraging scale is telecommunications In the EU we have a market of around 450 million consumers but investments per capita are half those of the United States and we are late in the diffusion of 5G and fiber optics,” Draghi said “One of the reasons for this gap is that in Europe we have 34 mobile network groups – and this is a conservative estimate in reality there are many more – which often operate on a national scale compared to three in the United States and four in China” we need to further simplify and harmonize telecommunications regulations across Member States and support Read also other news on Nova News Click here and receive updates on WhatsApp Follow us on the social channels of Nova News on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Telegram Looking to access paid articles across multiple policy topics Interested in policy insights for EU professional organisations “Others are no longer playing by the rules and are actively pursuing policies to enhance their competitive positions… What I’m proposing in the report… is radical change.” either observed and verified directly by the reporter or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources Former European Central bank president and Italian prime minister Mario Draghi who is drafting a report on the bloc's competitiveness The Minister of Health and Social Security exchanged views with their European counterparts and representatives of the European institutions social partners and civil society at the high-level conference held on 15 and 16 April 2024 in La Hulpe Martine Deprez took part in the panel discussion on "Guaranteeing access to social protection for all in a changing labour market" the Minister detailed the measures put in place in Luxembourg to give very vulnerable people access to the healthcare and medical treatment required by their state of health or illness the minister presented the 'Universal Healthcare Coverage' pilot project for which the 2023-2028 coalition agreement provides for the creation of a dedicated legal basis in order to make it a permanent measure for the most vulnerable people In the session entitled "Achieving the Porto targets by 2030: the role of analysis Martine Deprez took the floor to stress the importance of using high-quality statistical data to better align measures and actions with people's needs The Minister also welcomed the fact that "the implementation of the principles of the European Pillar of Social Rights and in particular the quantified global objectives of the EU is one of the main common priorities of the European Union in the context of the revised economic governance which offers excellent potential for further work in particular the establishment of an operational framework for the evaluation of social investments" took part in the session on fair working conditions which focused specifically on the consequences of artificial intelligence and algorithmic management on the world of work he emphasised the positive effects on employment and productivity that can be expected from artificial intelligence while stressing the importance of avoiding negative effects on working conditions and workers' rights Artificial intelligence must be developed for the benefit of employees and not to their detriment The Minister of Labour also took part in the panel devoted to labour market policies for a fair transition with a specific focus on the right to lifelong learning the right to requalification and skills upgrading The theme chosen for this panel reflects the first principle of the European pillar of social rights which aims not only to invest in retraining and improving the skills of jobseekers but also to anticipate future situations of redundancy due to the mismatches that are likely to arise between existing skills and those required as a result of the rapid changes in the new world of work Georges Mischo also emphasised that the "forward-looking employment and skills management programme" provided for in the project is aimed at companies that are undergoing a transformation in their activities their business lines or their skills requirements and that wish to invest the Minister of Labour had a brief discussion with the Executive Director of the European Labour Authority (ELA) and with the Director of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Office for the European Union and the Benelux countries on the state of ratification of certain ILO Conventions Martine Deprez held bilateral talks with Hubertus Heil Germany's Federal Minister for Labour and Social Affairs Hungary's Deputy Minister for Social Affairs the Minister of Health and Social Security reviewed current European issues with her counterparts and shared her views on future social challenges with a view to the European Union's next legislative cycle This high-level conference culminated in the signing of the La Hulpe Interinstitutional Declaration on the Future of Social Europe the purpose of which is to prepare the future social agenda for the period 2024-2029 thus continuing the implementation of the European Social Rights Framework Press release by the Ministry of Health and Social Security and the Ministry of Labour High Level Conference on the European Pillar of Social Rights Social Security and Migration presented the results of the 34 pilot Inclusion pathways at European level almost three years after their launch whose results were presented by the minister Elma Saiz in the framework of the Belgian presidency of the European Union Commissioner for Employment and Social Rights said at a bilateral meeting held in the framework of the High Level Conference being held in La Hulpe (Belgium) on 15 and 16 April while congratulating Spain on the work and results of a pioneering initiative that just a week ago presented great results to the Council of Ministers "Our approach to strengthening the European Social Shield is based on sound evidence-based public policies to improve efficiency responsiveness and social impact in an increasingly changing labour market," said Saiz The minister handed Nicolas Schmit the Decalogue of lessons learned at the Lab to serve as a guide for other European organisations and to inspire member states to design and develop similar initiatives It is committed to personalised attention and comprehensive actions in different areas improving digital training and weaving community networks that act as levers for inclusion "We also underline the importance of social investment not only as an instrument to reduce poverty and inequality but also for the returns it generates through higher economic growth This initiative has been promoted jointly by Spain and Belgium and has been joined by the other states," said Saiz A clear example is the Inclusion Policy Lab linked to the Minimum Basic Income (IMV), a pioneer in the world the results of which were presented today in La Hulpe: "For the first time 34 randomised trials have been promoted in a coordinated manner by a Government There is no precedent at the international level This initiative positions Spain as a benchmark in the design and evaluation of public policies with the highest scientific standards With an investment of 212 million euros from the NextGenerationEU funds of the RTRP The Ministry of Inclusion has enhanced 34 pilot itineraries in which more than 76,000 vulnerable people have participated (180,000 including their family members who in many cases have received the interventions) The aim was to find out which measures and actions are most effective which do not work and to scale up best practices "Coordinated by the Ministry but developed with 14 regional governments 4 city councils and 16 third sector entities this approach aligns with our vision of designing evidence-based inclusion projects Beyond improving people's quality of life it has the potential to generate a multiplier effect reduce future costs and increase tax revenues as people integrate into the labour market," she told the debate carried out with the scientific support of two internationally renowned institutions CEMFI and the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) includes specific recommendations to improve the rate of access to a minimum income and to improve the effectiveness of social inclusion policies We are proud to present them in Europe because they guide our way towards a more inclusive and prosperous future as demanded by the European Pillar of Social Rights" The European day concluded with a bilateral meeting with the Hungarian Minister of State who explained the priorities of Hungary's forthcoming presidency of the Council of the EU (July to December 2024) This website uses its own and third-party cookies to maintain the session, offer a better user experience and obtain statistical data on user navigation. For more information see Cookies policy Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) is the voice of organised civil society in Europe Find out more about its role and structure at http://www.eesc.europa.eu/en/about The EESC issues between 160 and 190 opinions and information reports a year It also organises several annual initiatives and events with a focus on civil society and citizens’ participation such as the Civil Society Prize The EESC is active in a wide range of areas Learn more about our policy areas and policy highlights at http://www.eesc.europa.eu/en/policies The EESC holds nine plenary sessions per year public hearings and high-level debates related to its work Find out more about our upcoming events at http://www.eesc.europa.eu/en/agenda/our-events/upcoming-events Here you can find news and information about the EESC'swork The EESC brings together representatives from all areas of organised civil society who give their independent advice on EU policies and legislation The EESC's326 Members are organised into three groups: Employers Find out more about our Members and groups at http://www.eesc.europa.eu/en/members-groups specialising in concrete topics of relevance to the citizens of the European Union Find out more at http://www.eesc.europa.eu/en/sections-other-bodies Your browser currently does not recognize this type of video Please upgrade your browser to the latest version President Röpke led a delegation of EESC Members from all three Groups (employers civil society organisations) at the high level conference in La Hulpe The Belgian Presidency had invited the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) to sign the Declaration on "The Future of the European Pillar of Social Rights" the declaration was also signed by the Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo on behalf of 25 Member States European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen European Parliament President Roberta Metsola and the leaders of the European Trade Union Confederation EESC President Röpke said: "The invitation by the Belgian Presidency to sign the La Hulpe Declaration is an important recognition of the role of the EESC as the House of organised civil society The European Pillar of Social Rights is of strategic importance not only for the EU I look forward to the review of the Action Plan in 2025 Organised civil society must play a crucial role in implementing the European Pillar of Social Rights I feel honoured to sign this declaration." The Compass: the European Pillar of Social Rights such as the global pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis have highlighted the crucial role of strong social welfare systems In a recent survey by the European Parliament and jobs as their top political priorities ahead of the upcoming European Parliament elections in June 2024 The La Hulpe declaration aims to provide a compass for social policy in the EU for the coming years It sets out a comprehensive set of actions to foster equal opportunities and social protection through EU and national policies The declaration also makes reference to the future enlargement of the EU It highlights the importance to assist candidate countries with the implementation of the social acquis and to foster upwards social convergence The EESC welcomes this renewed focus on enlargement in particular against the backdrop of its own initiative to open the doors of the EESC to EU candidate countries by integrating representatives from their civil society into the EESC's advisory work Oliver Röpke European Economic and Social Committee rue Belliard/Belliardstraat99-101 1040 Brussels Belgium Tel (secretariat): +32 (0)2 546 99 32Email (secretariat) For press and media inquiries, please contact the President's SpokespersonFor photos of the President, please consult the EESC Media Library At the Hulpe Conference on the European Pillar of Social Rights The Second Vice-President and Minister for Work and Social Economy has taken part in the Conference on the European Pillar of Social Rights The Second Vice-President and Minister for Work and Social Economy called on her counterparts the social partners and representatives of civil society to do more to ensure that the social dimension of European policies gains prominence in the next European legislature "Let us for the first time ensure that the EU's new strategic agenda has a real social dimension" who in her speech gave substance to this boost in the socio-labour area in three specific measures including concrete initiatives to reduce working hours we are going to reduce by law the 40-hour working week to 37 and a half hours she proposed the recognition of new labour rights linked to the digital and green transitions as has already started to be done with the new directive on work on digital platforms which recognises human control of algorithms and automated decision-making She insisted on the intention to incorporate the climate approach into the world of work and specifically to incorporate green collective bargaining to promote and facilitate a just ecological transition that also considers the impact of climate change and extreme temperatures on health and safety at work New labour rights linked to a general improvement in working conditions have also been proposed "We must place the fight against job insecurity at the centre of our debates" who stressed the need to understand this fight also as a way of taking care of mental health during the Conference on the European Pillar of Social Rights hosted by the Belgian presidency of the Council of the EU the Parliament and the Council of the EU will sign a declaration with social partners and representatives of civil society aimed at preparing the social agenda of the future European legislature which will emerge after the elections in June this declaration reinforces the references to the role of social dialogue aspects of democracy at work such as information and consultation of algorithms the need to address working conditions in the digital transition and to bear in mind the lessons of the SURE mechanism the employment protection scheme used in pandemics to be able to activate it in similar future scenarios the vice-president will be meeting with former Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta who at the request of the European authorities has prepared a report on the single market on the occasion of the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the European common market They will discuss the need to consider social protection so as to raise the social dimension to the same level as the economic dimension in the single market guidelines with the aim of mitigating social imbalances Together with the General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) Díaz will discuss possible improvements in living and working conditions in the EU through the principles of the European Pillar of Social Rights and new initiatives to anchor these principles in the next European legislature Eleni De Becker 9th May 2024 Despite the European Pillar of Social Rights social protection remains patchy for atypical and self-employed workers especially vis-à-vis atypical workers and the self-employed To what extent the EU has delivered on its promise is however questionable. The emphasis has been on providing support for member states through grants and loans, which while welcome leaves the impact on social-security systems difficult to assess. In the event of unemployment, coverage gaps appear to persist for atypical workers and the self-employed Principle 12 of the EPSR has been developed by a 2019 Council of the EU recommendation on access to social protection This aims to ensure minimum standards of social protection for workers and the self-employed taking into account the (limited) competences of the EU in this area It covers traditional labour-related insurance schemes adequate and transparent access to social protection for all workers—whether in standard or non-standard employment—and all self-employed but should at least be available on a voluntary basis.  The recommendation remains relatively general: unlike similar International Labour Organization instruments, it does not mention detailed standards. On unemployment protection, more information can be found in the next pillar principle which stresses the need for unemployment protection of a reasonable duration in line with contributions and national eligibility rules Principle 13 covers all unemployed persons including those with short employment records and those previously self-employed In some countries temporary workers and/or the self-employed are excluded from unemployment-insurance coverage or face difficulties in meeting the thresholds set by legislation Principle 13 covers not only contributory but also non-contributory unemployment benefits The pillar and the recommendation are however non-binding. A framework was developed in 2020 to monitor implementation of the recommendation EU member states were required to draft national action plans The La Hulpe Declaration identified strengthening monitoring of the recommendation as a priority Several coverage gaps however persist. At least 5.6 million atypical workers and 15.3 million self-employed in the EU do not have access to unemployment benefits Member states have identified two key challenges in addressing these shortfalls: the need to maintain the flexibility of the labour market and the complexity of extending coverage among the self-employed (particularly vis-à-vis unemployment and incapacity for work) and specific groups such as platform workers Amid the pandemic, the EU developed financial instruments to assist member states, including the Temporary Support to Mitigate Unemployment Risks in an Emergency (SURE) SURE played a pivotal role in supporting job-retention programmes It remained however up to member states to determine the scope and level of protection—no link was made to principles 12 and 13 of the EPSR or the council recommendation which could have guided domestic policy-makers The La Hulpe Declaration highlights the valuable lessons learnt from SURE but no steps were taken towards a permanent crisis framework with the recommendation as context Also in 2020, the EU established the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) which provides grants and loans to member states to make their economies more resilient and sustainable Although the instruments establishing the RRF referred to the EPSR unlike with the green and digital transitions no fixed percentage of the funds made available was to be spent on realisation of pillar rights Monitoring of the RRF occurs through the European Semester, which adds another layer to the complex EU governance process. Before the adoption of the EPSR, the semester was heavily criticised for the subordination of social to budgetary and economic goals several countries were asked to reform their unemployment protection to increase labour-market participation The 2020 CSRs stand out: all refer to unemployment this was only a brief reference to its possible increase or to measures taken to limit it amid the pandemic More countries than in previous years were however urged in a recommendation or in one of the preceding recitals The Covid-19 crisis clearly served as an impetus for the EU to prioritise much-needed protection from (temporary) unemployment This increased attention seems though to have been short-lived with fewer references to the need for adequate unemployment protection in the following years the La Hulpe Declaration reaffirms the importance of the EPSR including the need to strengthen social protection for all Yet the role of its principles 12 and 13 and the recommendation seems limited There is thus fuzziness and ambiguity as to whether and to what extent the different EU instruments in this arena are linked and interact That makes it difficult to map the impact of the EU on member states’ social-security systems The EU has taken several steps in recent years to strengthen its social dimension trying to carve out its own role alongside that of the member states It is time to give the initiatives taken a more solid foundation and put more flesh on the bones More information on implementation of the pillar principles 12 and 13 and the council recommendation can be found in the author’s paper ‘The principle of adequate social protection in the European Pillar of Social Rights: assessing the instruments used to realise its potential’ to appear in European Journal of Social Security 26(2) Eleni De Becker is assistant professor of constitutional and European social-security law at the Free University Brussels and guest professor of European social-security Law at KU Leuven atypical work forms and access to social protection There is a risk that the European Parliament no longer will be characterised by progressive and solidarity-based policies Right-wing forces also want to pursue austerity policies and review the stability and growth pacts It sees it as necessary to save the climate but also as a major employment measure New high-quality jobs can be created as a result of the transition and ETUC argues that this is something the EU can spearhead The green transition is dependent on money and solidarity It is necessary to create structures for change so that the journey towards a climate-neutral Europe is safe and does not threaten either jobs or individuals’ welfare the European Trade Union Congress Deputy General Secretary “Support and help for countries who have the furthest to go to transition their industry will have an impact on the EU budget and this will also be a major challenge for individual member states we have carried out some of the transition the challenge and also reluctance is larger The big question is whether the new Parliament will have the capacity to deal with this,” he says the stronger its influence grows in areas that traditionally have been entirely national This inspires hope and confidence in many governments are sceptical of the EU social pillars and want to slow the trends towards supranationalism One result of this is the fact that Sweden has not signed the so-called La Hulpe Declaration which was adopted during the Belgian presidency in mid-April It provides guidelines for how the EU should address employment issues in Europe between 2024 and 2029 It is a voluntary agreement but was signed by all of the other member states ETUC General Secretary Esther Lynch was in La Hulpe ETUC is positive to the La Hulpe Declaration “It is unfortunate that Sweden has not signed the La Hulpe Declaration This text expresses the EU’s ambition to engage also in social issues The fact that Sweden does not want to participate in cooperation on social issues is regrettable especially since we have long traditions for a strong and well-developed welfare model “The social pillar has its challenges but expresses an intention for a social Europe Sweden is increasingly taking the role of the UK as a proponent for the EU to be mainly a free trade cooperation,” says Claes-Mikael Ståhl where part of the social pillar actually became a mandatory directive and then the row over the working time directive the Swedish government has firmly rejected the idea of the EU handling issues such as wage formation and welfare During a meeting of the Swedish parliament’s EU committee Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson highlighted the EU’s long-term competitiveness and the importance of having fewer obstacles Growth is synonymous with progress and if the important common market with its 450 million citizens is to operate as efficiently as possible obstacles to trade and rules should be cut Another priority for the Swedish government is that EU rules should not reduce the role of nuclear power in the green transition Claes-Mikael Ståhl answers briefly and concisely Can Sweden perform a green transition alone The country is too small so sorting waste and other measures do not help there is a need for interaction between supranational and national competencies which can lead to different outcomes depending on the issue at hand.” ETUC is positive to the La Hulpe Declaration and says it will give workers security and better working and living conditions ETUC wants to the EU to commit to the full implementation of the social pillar and would like to see the declaration become part of the EU’s strategic agenda and for it to be at the core of the EU’s work in the coming years ETUC also sees it as positive that these ideas are linked to so-called “social conditionality” to secure EU funds and that social requirements are imposed on member states’ public procurement systems “The proposal is an important and major step forward but it is strange that it has taken this long It goes without saying that member states must be required to justify their use of EU funds,” says Claes-Mikael Ståhl ETUC has launched a manifesto ahead of the EU Parliament election where it says that this upcoming election is the most important one for many years Only 40 per cent of Swedish Trade Union Confederation (LO) members vote in the EU elections Claes-Mikael Ståhl believes many more LO workers would vote if they knew how much is happening in the EU right now that will also have an impact on Swedish jobs “What happens in Europe might feel like a long way away for people in the Nordics see the world and learn new things?” says Claes-Mikael Ståhl The election has been described as a crossroads between the solidarity and progressive forces that emerged during the pandemic and as a result of austerity policies pensioners and all Europeans to vote at the European Parliamentary elections to make their voices heard for a just and more social Europe “There is a social justice emergency in Europe working people have suffered record real-term pay cuts while unscrupulous employers continue to register record profits the EU institutions threaten to return to austerity and open the door to further deregulation punishing workers,” reads the ETUC manifesto ETUC launched their manifesto ahead of the EU Parliamentary elections on 15 November last year. an end to precarious work and improved working conditions a rejection of austerity and support for an economy benefiting people and the planet a strong industrial policy and public services and guaranteed just changes in climate and digital policies the social partners met at the ”Val Duchesse Social Partners Summit” which resulted in a tripartite agreement “for a thriving European social dialogue” It underlined the importance of dialogue between workers and businesses and is considered to be a fundamental part of the EU’s social model “It is a way to revive the work style that relied more on negotiations and talk work continues with discussions about what a “European pact of social dialogue” should contain,” says Claes-Mikael Ståhl The dialogue should contribute to increased economic prosperity and support expectations of managing changes as well as opportunities to do so and creating qualitative jobs and a labour force with the right skill set is top of the list of things that must be done – especially for small and medium-sized companies The social dialogue within the EU will be strengthened and it is proposed that a social envoy be established to take care of that mission The European employers’ organisation BusinessEurope did not sign the La Hulpe Declaration either unlike the other employer partners in SGI and SMEUnited This is easier to understand than Sweden’s refusal to sign “Our understanding is that BusinessEurope primarily considers EU to be a union for free trade and they want to steer away from the more socially oriented EU of later years towards a more competitive model.”  BusinessEurope also has a Swede at its helm His name is Fredrik Persson and he has been the organisation’s President since 2022 He was previously President of the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise The Nordic Labour Journal has repeatedly asked Fredrik Persson for his view on the development of the European labour market and the social partners’ role in the EU legislative process He has declined our requests for an interview Persson did give this statement in the Commission’s press release after the social summit on 20 March: “To make sure that the European Union decarbonises without deindustrialising a European Industrial Deal needs to be developed with tailored measures to support small and medium-sized enterprises in their transition.” Claes-Mikael Ståhl is Deputy General Secretary of the European Trade Union Congress It supports more EU  labour market legislation located at the heart of the Sonian Forest (one of Europe’s largest beech forests) and just a stone’s throw from Brussels regarded as one of the leading conference hotels in Europe has installed a latest-generation 250 kWp photovoltaic solar plant as part of a worldwide programme of green initiatives including composting the use of LEDs instead of conventional bulbs separate water cooling and heating systems Dolce has also implemented a centralised system to manage equipment such as the air intake-outlet and heating and cooling systems in line with indoor and outdoor temperatures or a timer The new array comprises more than 1,000 high-yield polycrystalline solar panels and will generate more than 210,000 kWh a year at full power “Combined with an investment plan over several years the hotel and resort’s current peak-time energy consumption will be cut by 10 to 12%,” reveals Christian Terlinden This solar plant represents an investment of €650,000 the first of its kind in a hotel complex of this size in Belgium Area Managing Director at Dolce La Hulpe Brussels & Dolce Chantilly explaining that the project is part of the strategy of Dolce La Hulpe Brussels to make sustainable investments with a view to reducing its carbon footprint and respecting the environment while continuing to develop its activities The solar panels have been installed on flat roofs on the main building on a number of buildings housing rooms and on the conference centre A real-time screen will be placed in the lobby raising awareness among guests that the buildings are producing green energy The Dolce La Hulpe Brusselshotel was recently awarded the Gold Green Star label by the International Association of Conference Centers (IACC) and has just launched the Dolce Global Preserve programme which rewards staff by planting a tree in their honour and making a donation to local organisation This new project aims to have a positive impact on the environment and to pay tribute to Dolce’s staff who the company regards as its “trees of life” Dolce La Hulpe