Stand up for our rights

‘Stand up for the Social Pillar’ is the message coming out of the European Parliament today.  

A new group - bringing together social NGOs, trade unions, pro-European organisations, and social economy enterprises and organisations - is meeting up today with MEPs from the two largest political groups, senior Commission officials  and an audience of over 120 people to discuss how to get Governments and EU institutions to put the European Pillar of Social Rights into practice.

The meeting is the first in a series of actions by the group -  ‘Stand up for the Social Pillar’ – to put pressure on EU institutions and national Governments to promote social investments, social rights and the social economy now and after the European elections next year.

The meeting today is at 15.00 in the European Parliament in Room A3G-3 and focusses on the role of the (about to start) European economic and social policy Semester and the new EU 7-year budget (currently going through the EU institutions). Those taking part include MEPs Elena Gentile, Brando Benifei, Maria Joao Rodrigues and Veronica Lope-Fontagné and the Director General for Social Economy and Self-Employment of the Government of Spain.     

Adopted at the Gothenburg Summit last November, the European Pillar of Social Rights  contains a set of 20 principles and rights for its citizens. It would represent important progress for all people in the European Union if implemented, yet the Pillar remains largely unknown to citizens and national politicians and implementation has started in just a few limited – albeit important - areas.

For more details of the meeting today see https://www.etuc.org/en/event/delivering-european-pillar-social-rights-role-european-semester-and-new-mff

For more on the new group ‘Stand Up for the Social Pillar’ see https://www.etuc.org/en/pressrelease/stand-social-pillar-alliance-social-economy-enterprises-trade-unions-and-civil-society

For more information

  • Reza Opdebeeck, Communications Officer CECOP – CICOPA Europe, [email protected],
  • Lucinda Pearson, Press and Communications Manager, European Movement, +32 2 508 30 88 [email protected] ,
  • Julian Scola, Head of Press & Communication, ETUC +32 486 117 394, [email protected]
  • Victor Meseguer, Director, Social Economy Europe, +32 2 230 4618, [email protected]   
  • Juris Lavrikovs, Communications & Campaign Coordinator, Social Platform, +32 2 508 1637, [email protected]