AK EUROPA Invitation: Perspectives on European minimum standards in unemployment insurance and minimum income schemes

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Invitation

Perspectives on European minimum standards in unemployment insurance and minimum income schemes

Thursday, 14th November 2019, 18:30h , Brussels

Poor and Unemployed? European Answers Needed!

The Brussels liaison offices of the Austrian Trade Union Federation (ÖGB), the Austrian Chamber of Labour (AK EUROPA) and the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB) cordially invite you to the following event:

Date	Thursday, 14th November 2019, 18:30h
Venue	Permanent Representation of Austria to the EU Avenue de Cortenbergh 30 , 1040 Brussels

Yes, I will attend the event

Despite slow economic growth, the social situation in Europe remains tense. Unemployment rates have been slowly decreasing on average, but they remain at a high level in many Member States. There is a strong divergence across the EU with unemployment rates ranging from 2.4% in the Czech Republic to 20.2% in Greece. In addition, the latest figures of Eurostat show that 109.2 million people, representing 21.7% of the EU population, are at risk of poverty and/or social exclusion.

With the proclamation of the European Pillar of Social Rights, EU Member States and EU institutions promised to strengthen Social Europe. Adequate unemployment benefits and minimum income benefits in all Member states are enshrined in the Pillar’s principles 13 and 14.

Commission president-elect Ursula von der Leyen has announced in her “Political guidelines for the next European Commission 2019-2024” to put forward an action plan to fully implement the European Pillar of Social Rights. Trade unions demand the introduction of European minimum standards for unemployment insurance schemes and minimum income schemes. This could help overcome poverty and contribute to upward social convergence in the EU. European minimum standards do not aim at harmonizing the various systems of the Member states, but at building a common ground, that cannot be undermined.

At this event, we will discuss why poverty and unemployment need European answers.

Speakers

Welcome address:

Oliver Röpke, President of the Workers' Group, EESC

Panel:

Ingrid Reischl, General Secretary, Austrian Trade Union Federation

Annelie Buntenbach, Member of the Executive Board, German Trade Union Confederation

Alice Kundtner, Deputy Director of the Austrian Chamber of Labour

Barbara Kauffmann, Director for Employment and Social Governance DG Employment, European Commission

Moderation:

Aline Hoffmann, European Trade Union Institute

If you have accessibility needs, please contact us and we will do our best to cater for them.

The discussion will take place in German and English with simultaneous translation.

After the discussion, we invite you to a buffet reception.

The Austrian Federal Chamber of Labour is by law representing the interests of about 3.6 million employees and consumers in Austria. It acts for the interests of its members in fields of social-, educational-, economical-, and consumer issues both on the national and on the EU-level in Brussels. Furthermore the Austrian Federal Chamber of Labour is a part of the Austrian social partnership. The Austrian Federal Chamber of Labour is registered at the EU Transperency Register under the number 23869471911-54.