The last five years have been characterised by multiple crises. The coronavirus pandemic, the increasing urgency of the climate crisis and its social consequences, the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine as well as inflation and rising energy prices posed challenges to European lawmakers. But also beyond crisis management, the EU was called upon to respond to societal developments such as the digitalisation of the world of work.

Achievements for workers
The European Pillar of Social Rights, which was solemnly proclaimed in 2017, proved to be a driver for EU social policy in the past EU legislative period. The activity reports of the EU Parliament's Committees on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL) and on Women's Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM) for the period 2019-2024 provide an impressive overview of the social policy legislation adopted.

The Minimum Wage Directive, adopted in 2022, promotes fairer wages and collective bargaining across the EU, thereby combating wage inequality and in-work poverty. Even before the end of its implementation period positive effects can be seen. The Pay Transparency Directive, adopted in 2023, is an important step towards closing the gender pay gap by making income differences more visible and thus more comparable.

Furthermore, important regulations have been adopted in the area of occupational safety and health (OSH). Firstly, protection against asbestos in the workplace was improved. Secondly, occupational exposure limits for lead were revised and limits for diisocyanates (highly respiratory and skin sensitising chemicals) were introduced.

At the end of the EU legislative period, an agreement was reached on the Platform Work Directive. It aims to protect platform workers, such as bicycle messengers and food delivery workers, from bogus self-employment and stipulates rules on algorithmic management. A specific proposal to regulate artificial intelligence in the workplace has not been put forward, but the recently adopted AI act does contain some important provisions such as a ban on emotion recognition systems in the workplace.

Implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights
The abovementioned pieces of legislation represent important steps towards implementing the European Pillar of Social Rights. Regarding gender equality, in addition to the Pay Transparency Directive, the Women on Boards Directive, which was finally adopted at the end of 2022 after ten years of deadlock, as well as the EU ratification of the Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women (Istanbul Convention) and the Directive on Combating Violence against Women, which was adopted by the EU Parliament in its last plenary session in April 2024, represent major achievements.

The EU Commission has presented further social policy legislative proposals just recently: The revision of the European Works Councils Directive and a proposal for a Traineeship Directive. In addition, the EU Commission intends to propose new rules on telework and the right to disconnect and has launched a social partner consultation on this issue at the end of April 2024.

EU measures to improve working conditions worldwide
The last EU legislative period also saw the adoption of two pieces of legislation with the aim of improving working conditions worldwide: The long-contested EU Supply Chain Act obliges companies to respect human rights, labour rights and environmental impacts along global supply chains. In addition, the Forced Labour Regulation bans the import, export and marketing of products manufactured using forced labour on the EU market.

Summary and outlook
In the last EU legislative period, important impetus was given to the further development of social Europe. However, social inequality and poverty persist in the EU and have even increased due to the abovementioned crises. In 2019, around 91 million people in the EU were at risk of poverty and social exclusion. According to the European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan the aim is to reduce this figure by 15 million by 2030. In 2022, however, more than 95 million people in the EU were at risk of poverty or social exclusion - more than one in five! The upcoming EU elections are crucial for the continuation of the social paradigm shift in Europe and for further important steps towards a socially just, democratic and sustainable Europe. AK and ÖGB are drawing attention to this with the "Vote for Democracy" initiative.

Further information:
AK EUROPA: Benchmarking Working Europe 2024. The Ongoing quest for Social Europe
ETUI: Benchmarking Working Europe Report 2024
AK EUROPA Publication: The Social Pillar and the future of the EU's social policy agenda
AK EUROPA: Putting the European Pillar of Social Rights into practice
ETUC: A fair deal for workers. Manifesto for the 2024 European Parliament elections
AK EUROPA: Declaration of La Hulpe. Commitment to a social Europe - without Austria
EMPL Committee: Activity Report 2019-2024
FEMM Committee: Activity Report 2019-2024
ÖGfE Policy Brief: Impulses of the European Parliament for a more socially just European Union (German Only)