*Signatories : Pierre-Yves Dermagne (Deputy Prime Minister for the Economy and Labour, Belgium), Yolanda Díaz (Minister of Labour and Social Economy, Spain), Ana Mendes Godinho (Minister of Labour, Solidarity and Social Security, Portugal), Hubertus Heil (Federal Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, Germany), Andrea Orlando (Labour and Social Policies Minister, Italy), Luca Visentini (General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation, Italy), Ludovic

ETUC reflections on the SOCIAL ECONOMY ACTION PLAN The ETUC delegation taking part in the SP dedicated hearing prior to the issuing of a Social Economy Action Plan, has identified some aspects worth underlining in the context of EU policy-making. Trade unions and social economy, a promising alliance for upward social convergence

The ITUC and the ETUC have welcomed the EU’s adoption of a new financial instrument for the block’s external action for the period 2021-27, the ‘Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument - Global Europe’ (NDICI-Global Europe).

On 4th of March 2021, the European Commission has presented a proposal for a Gender Pay Transparency Directive. 

ETUC resolution on the European Trade Union Democracy Action Plan Adopted at the virtual Executive Committee Meeting of 3-4 June 2021                                           Background Trade unionism and democracy are inextricably linked. Trade unions have a long and proud history of fighting for voting rights, for democracy and against dictatorship.

On 21 April 2021, the European Commission presented its long-awaited proposal on the regulation of artificial intelligence. The regulation is the follow-up to the 2020 White Paper process, in which the ETUC also participated. The proposed regulation builds on the internal market rules regulating the development and placement of products and services using AI in the EU single market. The regulation does not address liability. In this context, the Commission refers to the revision of the Product Liability Directive which is foreseen in the second half of the year.

Women are at greater exposure to the consequences of the economic crisis resulting from the pandemic. This Recovery needs to put the achievement of equality at the centre.  We are calling for   1. More support for trade unions so that they can spearhead the fight for gender equality. When women join together in their trade union they can bargain for a better deal, increased pay, more security, training, health and safety, a say over working hours, fairer promotions, more paid leave and a decent pension.

Introduction Although there has been European law on equal pay for women and men for 45 years, the gender pay gap in the European Union is still unacceptably large at over 14%. At the current very slow rate of progress, pay equality will not be achieved across the European Union until the next century (2104) and will never be reached in some Member States.

ETUC’s DECENT WORK & SUSTAINABLE GROWTH INDEX Decent work and sustainable growth are one of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals which the EU signed-up to in 2015. The report prepared for the ETUC by a team of researchers of the highly respected Italian Alliance for Sustainable Development ASviS, led by Prof. Enrico Giovannini, measures progress towards the goal on three measures: economic wellbeing, employment quality and labour vulnerability (merged also into one overall index). 

Adopted by the Executive Committee at the meeting of 22-23 March 2021 The ETUC is seriously concerned about the Russian government’s lack of respect of fundamental freedoms, following the harsh repression of public protests.

Dear Ministers, We are writing to you in view of the discussions taking place in the informal meeting of employment, social policy, health and consumer affairs ministers on 22 February 2021, on the forthcoming Commission’s proposal on the Action Plan to implement the European Pillar of Social Rights and the Social Summit.

The new CAP needs social conditionality - End exploitation and raise labour standards in European agriculture Together with other 300 organisations, the ETUC signed this open letter addressed to key Commissioners, EU Parliament negotiating MEPs, and national agriculture ministers