Upon the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights (ESSR), a report on the future of social protection and the welfare state was prepared by a high-level expert group on behalf of EU Social Affairs Commissioner Nicolas Schmit. The report makes 21 concrete recommendations for future initiatives on how the EU can respond in an inclusive and sustainable way to longer-term trends such as demographic change, globalisation, new forms of work and the digital and green transition.

In view of the green transition, advancing digitalisation and the emergence of new forms of employment, the project aims at adapting cooperation with the social partners to these new realities.

From 1 January to 30 June 2023, Sweden will take over the Presidency of the Council of the EU for the third time. With the words "Europe should become greener, safer and freer", Ulf Kristersson, Prime Minister of the centre-right government, points out that he wants to continue the work of the previous French and Czech presidencies.

On 6 December 2022, EU Finance Ministers will deliberate on the EU Commission’s guidelines for reforming the fiscal rules. These shall pursue more realistic medium-term targets and include reforms and investments, which are negotiated between Commission and Member States.

On 11 November 2022, Paolo Gentiloni, the European Commissioner for Economy, presented the Autumn Forecast for the economic development in the EU. Following a strong first half of the year 2022, the energy crisis weakens the purchasing power of households and burdens the manufacturing industry. In spite of the Commission’s positive Summer 2022 Interim Economic Forecast, the forecast for 2023 suggests less growth and higher inflation.

The European Parliament held the third European Gender Equality Week from 24 to 30 October 2022. As in the two years before, the various Committees focused in particular on the subject of equality in their respective fields of competence.

On 18 October 2022, the EU Commission launched its work programme 2023. The programme shall ambitiously respond to current crises and support people and businesses. Apart from positive and at the same time long overdue initiatives, it has to be pointed out that hardly any social sector initiatives are to be found.

At this years State of the Union Address on 14 September 2022, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced an excess profit (windfall) tax for energy companies. This means levying the profits generated by the energy sector due to rising energy prices and redistributing them to consumers. On the same day, Vice President Frans Timmermans and EU Commissioner Kadri Simson presented the concrete draft regulation.

Under the motto “Europe as a task”, the Czech Republic will take over the rotating Presidency of the EU from 1 July to 31 December 2022. After France and prior to Sweden, the Czech Republic will continue the 18-month Trio Programme, which has been jointly defined by the three Presidencies.

The Conference on the Future of Europe was officially launched a year ago on 9 May 2021 (Europe Day). Its declared aim was to formulate answers for the future of European democracy and to identify the next steps for further European integration. Among other things, the final report calls for a Protocol for Social Progress to protect social rights over economic freedoms.