The European Economic and Social Committee recently adopted an opinion on measures to create an EU just transition policy framework. In this opinion, it calls for a corresponding EU Agenda 2050, a Commissioner, who is specifically responsible for it and a Just Transition Observatory. The Committee thus makes it clear that the just transition must be at the top of the agenda in the next legislative period. There can only be a green transition in harmony with a social transition.

A ground-breaking agreement was reached in Brussels on 8 December. After 36 hours of marathon negotiations, the EU Parliament, Council and Commission announced the final trilogue result on the Regulation on artificial intelligence (AI).

The EU Supply Chain Law obliges companies to identify, eliminate, prevent, mitigate and account for negative impacts of their business activities on human rights and the environment in their global value chains. On 14 December, the EU Parliament, Council and Commission announced the trilogue agreement.

In the run-up to the EU elections, there are many political decisions to be made, not least on economic governance. Europe is once again at a crossroads. Will the EU fall back into austerity policies? Or will it finally succeed in driving forward a prosperity-orientated social and economic policy? In this context, comprehensive investment is essential. While the enormous need for investment to tackle the climate crisis is often quite rightly highlighted, social investment has often been overlooked.

According to a recent estimate by the International Labour Organization, around 28 million people worldwide live in forced labour, including more than 3 million children. Forced labour is a global problem that also affects Europe. In September 2022, the EU Commission presented a proposal for a regulation banning products made with forced labour on the EU market.

In November, the members of the European Parliament voted by a narrow majority in favour of amending the EU Treaties. This involves important organisational principles of the EU. Among other, Parliament is calling for more rights of co-determination and decision-making and a social progress protocol. The ball is now in the European Council's court to decide whether to convene a convention.

Better integration of people of working age into a labour market with good jobs is the best way to secure pensions. This is the conclusion of a recent study by the European Trade Union Confederation. As part of the SociAll project funded by the EU Commission, the effects that would result from the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan were analysed with the involvement of experts from the Chamber of Labour. Better integration of people of working age into a labour market with good jobs is the best way to secure pensions.

This year’s EU-wide Equal Pay Day was marked on 15 November. From this day forward, women symbolically work for free compared to men. In the EU, women on average still earn around 13 percent less than their male colleagues, and in Austria it is even around 19 percent less. The Pay Transparency Directive could provide a remedy. It must now be implemented consistently.

A report by the EU Commission clearly shows that often people at risk of poverty or social exclusion do not have access to essential services. These include water and energy supplies, transport services and digital means of communication. Without secure access to these basic services, the digital and green transition ("twin transition") cannot be managed in a socially just manner.

Last week, the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) presented its manifesto for the 2024 European election in the EU Parliament. There was a great deal of interest and approval. The aim of the manifesto is to develop a vision for the next five years in Europe. It is an invitation to the parties and candidates to endorse 12 commitments: A fair deal for workers should make Europe more social and fairer.