During a conference organised by the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) in Brussels in early December, the revised European Works Councils (EWC) Directive was praised as a major victory for workers throughout Europe. The amendment to the Directive adopted in November, significantly revises the involvement of European Works Councils. This could lead to a significant strengthening of workers' rights, simplifying the establishment and better involvement of EWCs. The Directive is required to be transposed into national law within a period of two years.

An EU Commissioner for Housing, a special committee in the EU Parliament, Council meetings, statements from the Committee of the Regions and the European Economic and Social Committee, various housing policy conferences: The issue of housing has been raised to the European level, with the EU institutions currently shaping important framework conditions for addressing the housing crisis. The EU Commission is set to present an affordable housing plan in mid-December 2025.

The Autumn Package within the framework of the EU Semester sets the course for employment, social, economic and fiscal policy in the following year. In 2026, increasing competitiveness will be the top priority, along with a budget policy focused on consolidation. New additions include a document on human capital and a stronger link between the EU Semester and the upcoming Multiannual Financial Framework.

In July 2025, the European Commission presented its draft Multiannual Financial Framework for 2028–2034, which envisages far-reaching changes in Cohesion Policy. The existing structural funds – including the European Social Fund+ and the Just Transition Fund – are to be combined into a new ‘National and Regional Partnership Plan’ (NRPP), which may weaken social and regional development goals. Linking payments to the achievement of milestones and the connection to the EU Semester has, among other, also been met with sharp criticism.

At the end of last year, the EU Parliament set up a special committee on the housing crisis in the EU. The draft of the decisive report is now available. It aims to propose solutions for decent, sustainable and affordable housing. Whether the current version will succeed in doing so is questionable. As the Commissioner responsible, Dan Jørgensen, recently noted at an event in the EU Parliament, the first draft is controversial.

The EU Parliament is currently engaged in intense negotiations on the Omnibus I, with which the EU Commission has proposed to significantly restrict the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD). It is already becoming apparent ahead of the upcoming vote that the EU Parliament will vote for watering down the CSDDD. This is very unfortunate: As shown by a new study led by Prof. Johannes Jäger, the CSDDD would offer an opportunity to enforce human rights while strengthening the European economy.

The European Commission has announced to present a ‘Quality Jobs Roadmap’ at the end of 2025. This initiative aims to promote the improvement of job quality in the EU. AK welcomes the fact that the conditions for high-quality jobs are to be more firmly established and secured at EU level. However, from AK's point of view, it is crucial that the 'Quality Jobs Roadmap' does not remain at the level of a non-binding analysis. Rather, this initiative must include a series of concrete and effective measures, which should cover the following areas:
 

The European Commission has announced that it will present a ‘Quality Jobs Roadmap’ at the end of 2025. From the perspective of employees, it is to be welcomed that the conditions for high-quality jobs are to be more firmly established and secured at EU level. However, non-binding analyses will not suffice. Rather, concrete and legally binding measures are necessary to actually improve job quality.

Today, we experience individualisation and personal optimisation, both at home and in the world of work. This has psychological and social consequences for us all. For example, many people in the EU are affected by loneliness. On 9 July 2025, an AK EUROPA event was held in the EU Parliament in Strasbourg with AK President Renate Anderl and MEP Evelyn Regner, during which challenges and possible solutions were discussed.

Even before implementing this directive in the Member States, EU institutions have currently been working on ultimately reversing key elements of the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive as part of the Sustainability Omnibus or Omnibus I. The potential impact of Omnibus I was discussed this week at a joint event organised by AK EUROPA, the ÖGB European Office, ETUC, ECCJ and FoEE.