The EU, and Europe as a whole, is currently at a crossroads, trying to navigate four transitions at once (an economic policy transition, a geopolitical transition, as well as the green and digital transition), with contradictory goals and only limited vision and direction. This issue of Benchmarking Working Europe engages with these four transitions and concludes that only a transformative and ambitious social transition can break the current cycle of crisis after crisis and instead institutionalise what the issue refers to as ‘sustainable resilience’ centred around social dialogue and collective bargaining.
 

All of the chapters of Benchmarking Working Europe 2023 contain data suggesting that we are, unfortunately, a long way from this vision. However, the research carried out for this ETUI-ETUC flagship publication can assist with that endeavour, by identifying some of Europe’s social fragilities and by framing the current challenges faced by the EU in a clear and compelling way.
 

At this launch event the main findings of the Benchmarking 2023 report will be presented by the ETUI researchers who have edited this volume. These presentations will be followed by a high-level panel with ETUC Confederal Secretary Liina Carr, Frank Siebern-Thomas, Head of Unit for “Fair Green and Digital Transitions, Research” of DG Employment  and Lukas Oberndorfer, Austrian Chamber of Labour, discussing what EU policies could contribute to the development of the social transition which we see as the determining factor for successfully navigating the other transitions.

 

Welcome:

Philippe Pochet, General Director ETUI

Oliver Röpke, ÖGB, President of the EESC Workers´ Group

 

Presentation of main findings of the Benchmarking 2022 report:

Nicola Countouris, Director of the ETUI Research Department

Sotiria Theodoropoulou, Head of Unit II “European economic, employment and social policies”, ETUI

Agnieszka Piasna, Senior Researcher, ETUI

 

Panel discussion with: 

Liina Carr, Confederal Secretary, ETUC

Frank Siebern-Thomas, Head of Unit for “Fair Green and Digital Transitions, Research”, DG Employment, Social Affairs & Inclusion, European Commission

Lukas Oberndorfer, Austrian Chamber of Labour

 

Moderator: 

Aline Hoffmann, Head of Unit I “Europeanisation of Industrial Relations”,  ETUI
 

The discussion will be held in English.

We would like to invite you to a reception afterwards.