Every year, public authorities spend large sums of money on publich procurement such as construction and service contracts. Hence, there is considerable potential in the design of public procurement to positively influence the market by setting qualitative criteria. The new EU Commission has announced that it will revise the Public Procurement Directive. From AK’s point of view, it is vital that the focus will be placed on social and environmental criteria at last.

The Adequate Minimum Wages Directive adopted in 2022, for the first time regulates adequate minimum wages throughout Europe. It aims to counteract in-work poverty and wage inequality at European level. The member states are supposed to implement the requirements of the directive by 15 November 2024, but so far they have only complied hesitantly.

While the focus at the beginning of the new EU legislative period is on competitiveness, the single market and defence, AK EUROPA is presenting a List of Demands for a bright future for the EU from the perspective of employees and consumers. Their interests must not be neglected, especially in view of the immense challenges currently facing the EU, and social balance must be at the heart of EU policy. The catalogue of 35 demands contains numerous specific policy recommendations.

AK is committed to putting the social dimension of the EU centre stage at the beginning of the EU legislative period. Over the next five years, continued efforts are needed to put the principles of The European Pillar of Social Rights into practice. The “A Pillar for our Rights” project and the AK EUROPA List of Demands provide impetus for a social Europe.

The Social Convergence Framework (SCF) has been created as a tool to map and compare employment and social policy developments in EU Member States in a structured way. It should help to identify countries with a particular need for action. However, further steps are needed to ensure that social objectives are adequately taken into account.

In the Draghi Report and in the political guidelines of EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, far-reaching efforts to streamline EU regulations and reduce the burden on companies can be found under the headings “Better Regulation” and “Reducing administrative burdens”. However, there is a risk of losing sight of important regulations for employees and environmental protection. AK EUROPA and the ÖGB Europe Office organised a webinar on this topic on 10 September 2024.

The Austrian pay-as-you-go system offers very good and reliable pensions in an international comparison, even for today’s young people. At the same time – as the Ageing Report 2024 clearly shows – public pension expenditure as a percentage of GDP is expected to increase only very moderately in the long term, despite rising life expectancy and significant population ageing. The Austrian approach thus proves to be a suitable response to the demographic challenge.

Every five years, EU heads of state and government agree on the political priorities for the next legislative period in connection with the elections to the EU Parliament. The Strategic Agenda for 2024-2029 was adopted by the European Council on 27 June 2024. Key European policy concerns from a workers' perspective are given too little attention.

The financial sustainability of public pension systems is regularly challenged in the face of ageing societies. However, the EU Commission's Ageing Report 2024 shows once again: Austria can rely on a viable and financially sustainable pension system. The report, which is published every three years in addition to the Pension Adequacy Report, contains long-term calculations of, among other things, the pension expenditure of the EU member states.

Opposition to the Green Deal was already growing before the EU elections. But now it is essential to develop it further with a strong social dimension. This makes it all the more important for workers' interest groups and civil society to take various initiatives in favour of a social Europe and a good life for all within the planetary boundaries.