As part of the mid-term review of the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), the European Commission has put forward a number of proposals to ensure that the budget can continue to fulfil its key tasks in the face of rising costs. These include support for Ukraine, promoting strategic technologies, implementing the Pact on Migration and Asylum and covering unforeseen expenditure.

The Brussels Offices of the Austrian Federal Chamber of Labour (AK EUROPA) and the Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, Civil Service and Sport (BMKÖS) invite you to the joint film screening of the movie "FOR THE MANY - The Vienna Chamber of Labour".

The Brussels Office of the Austrian Trade Union Federation (ÖGB European Office), the Brussels Office of the Austrian Federal Chamber of Labour (AK EUROPA) and the Daseinsgewerkschaft (Younion) are pleased to cordially invite you to our event "EU Blue Deal — a plan for the future of our water".

Spain has taken over the EU Council Presidency for the coming six months. Under the motto "Europe, closer", Spain is presenting a programme that attempts to find committed European solutions to common problems. Before the approaching elections to the EU Parliament, Spain thus holds the last full EU Council Presidency in this legislative period. This is a strategically important phase to finalise legal acts that are still being negotiated.

In the course of the strategic foresight, the EU Commission annually tries to identify the challenges of the EU’s future and to anticipate them in political present day measures. This year, the focus is on sustainability and well-being and thus on the question of which strategic decisions need to be taken today in order to create a socially, ecologically and economically sustainable EU in the future. Not only can future expectations determine policy today, but policy today also determines the future situation, not least of workers.

A broader public is probably not aware of the existence of the Regulatory Scrutiny Board (RSB) and the work it does. Yet this body has far-reaching powers in the European legislative process. The work of the RSB drew attention in the course of the Commission's proposal on the EU Supply Chain Act, which was delayed and watered down by the RSB. A study commissioned by the Chamber of Labour and LobbyControl now sheds light on the role of the RSB in the EU legislative process and identifies a need for reform.

Two years after the Porto Social Summit, the Porto Social Forum took stock of the progress made so far on the European Pillar of Social Rights (ESSR) on 26 and 27 May 2023. The main themes of the Forum were the European Year of Skills in the context of the digital and green transformation and the continuation of the EU Social Agenda. In particular, the need to provide adequate education and training and to implement the EU Child Guarantee more quickly and effectively was highlighted.

This study by Lobby Control and AK Vienna examines the role and impact of the European Commission’s Regulatory Scrutiny Board (RSB) on the EU legislative process. The RSB was created in 2015 as an oversight body to assess the quality of draft impact assessments, fitness checks, and major evaluations within the Commission. While some studies have argued that the RSB contributes to better regulation, recent examples in EU decision-making (e.g., the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive) cast doubts over its role and potential biases towards large industries.

The European Semester Spring Package was presented on 25 May 2023, which, according to the European Commission, shall secure the EU's long-term prosperity, competitiveness, equity and resilience. There are good approaches, such as the promotion of women and disadvantaged groups in the labour market. However, a fair transition in which no one is left behind is still far from becoming a reality.

Environmental, social and economic challenges are closely interlinked and can no longer be discussed in isolation. On the initiative of 20 MEPs from five political groups, and with the support of more than 60 partner organisations, the Beyond Growth Conference took place from 15 to 17 May 2023 in the EU Parliament in Brussels. In 20 focus panels and 7 plenary discussions, the conventional understanding of growth and economic success was to be questioned and social goals were to be redefined together with approximately 4000 participants.