For some years now, the EU has been severely affected by massive crises: the worst pandemic in more than a hundred years, the worst military aggression on European territory in 80 years owing to Russia's attack on Ukraine, the biggest energy crisis since the 1970s, the highest inflation rate since the euro was created, geopolitical upheavals and, as a result, refugee movements to the EU and a constantly worsening climate crisis. This accumulation of crises is having a significant impact on the EU budget, which requires appropriate adjustments.

In November 2023, the EU Parliament has adopted its position on the Forced Labour Regulation proposed by the EU Commission, followed by the Council in January 2024. Trilogue negotiations will begin shortly. Together with civil society organisations and trade unions, AK EUROPA points out in this open letter essential elements that the proposed regulation should contain in order to effectively combat forced labour.

The Brussels Office of the Austrian Chamber of Labour (AK EUROPA), the Foundation for European Progressive Studies (FEPS), Social Platform, Solidar, and the European Policy Centre (EPC) jointly organised the event “The European Pillar of Social Rights. Turning principles into practice”.

The EU has a large number of general social objectives and principles. However, in practice, market-liberal orientations and restrictive fiscal rules have often taken a higher priority. The 2024 elections to the European Parliament represent an important window of opportunity for the debate on strengthening the social orientation of the EU.

The EU's trade and investment agreement with Chile will be put to the vote in the European Parliament on 29 February. From AK's point of view, the agreement is highly problematic, as it has a negative impact on environmental and social standards, among other. The EU is thus moving a step further away from its goal of using trade policy to contribute to the objectives of the Green Deal.

On 24 January, the EU's trade and investment agreement with Chile is on the agenda of the Committee on International Trade (INTA) and on 29 February the vote will be held in the European Parliament’s plenary session.

The Austrian Federal Chamber of Labour (AK) and the Austrian Trade Union Federation (ÖGB) resolutely oppose the agreement with Chile.

On 13 December, the EU Parliament and the Council reached a provisional agreement on a proposal for a directive on improving working conditions in platform work. This means that there could soon be the world's first law regulating the rights of platform workers. More and more people are employed via platforms that are legally considered self-employed. However, this means that rights such as holiday entitlement and continued remuneration in the event of illness no longer apply.

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.