From 6-9 June 2024, EU citizens will elect a new EU Parliament. The last EU legislative period, from 2019 to 2024, saw some important social policy achievements. A brief retrospection.

Finance Watch has developed a financial reform agenda, calling for the reinforcement of EU financial regulation. Financial market stability must be ensured, and the financial system should serve people and the planet. Additionally, economic governance must be shaped so that investments in our future can be unlocked.

The European elections will take place across the EU between 6 - 9 June. Who can be voted for? Why should I vote? And how does the EU benefit workers and consumers? The "Voice for Democracy" initiative by AK and ÖGB addresses these questions. AK and ÖGB are calling on everyone to participate in the elections!

How can investments (co-)funded by the EU be linked to social criteria? What implications do political measures have on income distribution? How can these be measured? These were some of the questions discussed at an event organised by the Belgian Council Presidency. During three sessions, interesting approaches such as the Do No Significant Harm principle were presented.

On 16 April 2024 a Declaration on the Future of the European Pillar of Social Rights was signed in La Hulpe, a suburb of Brussels. It was developed with broad support and is meant to serve as a reference document for the upcoming EU legislative period as well as a commitment to a social Europe. Austria, Sweden and Business Europe were the only ones not to sign.

At the Special European Council in April, the heads of state and government of the member states met to discuss how the competitiveness of the European economy can be secured in the future. The focus was on the Single Market. Although the ‘Letta Report’ presented at the EU summit contains a number of positive approaches, it focusses one-sidedly on the corporate side. In contrast, the social dimension and the perspective of employees have hardly been taken into account.

Future EU enlargements require the involvement of the social partners and a deepening of the social dialogue - both in the EU and in the candidate countries. On 26 March 2024, AK EUROPA and the  EU Office of the Austrian Trade Union Federation (ÖGB) hosted the launch event of the Central European Trade Union Network (CETUN). The discussion focussed on the challenges and opportunities of EU enlargement to include the Western Balkans region. It was agreed that the social dimension must be given greater consideration.

Given the political significance of this European election year, the Benchmarking Working Europe Report 2024 provides a retrospective assessment of the state of Social Europe. Important achievements of the past EU legislative period are recognised, but shortcomings are also identified. The report also points out the necessary political steps in the coming EU legislative period to ensure the continuation of the social paradigm shift.

21 member organisations of the European Alliance for a Just Transition have signed a joint letter on an EU policy framework for just transition, with the aim of putting the issue more centre stage in the next EU policy cycle. The letter was sent on 11 March to the relevant ministers and to the Permanent Representatives of the Member States to the EU. They are called on to raise the ambition of the forthcoming Environment Council Conclusions and other relevant decisions in the coming months.

The creation of an EU Job Guarantee could counteract long-term unemployment, tackle poverty and at the same time contribute to a green and just transition. In February 2024, AK EUROPA organised an event in Brussels to advance the debate on this at EU level. Existing Job Guarantee models and the challenges and opportunities of their implementation were discussed.