The State of the European Union 2017

THE STATE OF THE EUROPEAN UNION

period devoted to this initiative. The European

Parliament has issued a related resolution, the

European Economic and Social Committee

(EESC) and the EU Committee of the Regions

(CoR) have presented formal opinions and social

partners Business Europe and the European

Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) have also is-

sued studies.

During his 2015 State of the Union address,

Commission President Juncker announced his

intention to develop a “European Pillar of Social

Rights” that would take into account the com-

plex and swiftly changing realities of a glo-

balised world and serve as both a “compass”

for convergence within the eurozone and a ve-

hicle for moving forward towards the long-

standing but unfulfilled goal of full economic

and monetary union. As initially envisaged, this

initiative was to focus primarily on eurozone

countries but be open to the voluntary partici-

pation and future inclusion of any other inter-

ested member states.

The plan for completing economic and mon-

etary union was further articulated in the Five

President’s Report

issued in June 2015, which

set out working agendas in four areas in which

progress would be required to meet this objec-

tive. This document was the result of extensive

consultation with the Sherpas of member states,

the Sherpas of the presidents of EU institutions

involved and the five presidents.

Juncker, J. C.; Tusk, D.; Dijsselbloem, J.; Draghi, M., and

Schulz, M.:

Completing Europe’s Economic and Monetary

Union, report prepared by Jean-Claude Juncker in close

cooperation with Donald Tusk, Jeroen Dijsselbloem, Mario

Draghi and Martin Schulz

, Brussels, 22 June 2015.

On 8 March 2016, the Commission present-

ed an outline

for the new pillar, which accord-

ing to this communication will draw upon prin-

ciples shared by eurozone states and have a

specific focus on addressing the needs and chal-

lenges they face in the area of employment and

social policy.

The Commission launched an open consul-

tation process in 2016, during which EU author-

ities and institutions, social partners, civil society

organisations and citizens expressed their views

concerning the ways in which the new pillar

could and should contribute to the construction

of a fairer and deeper economic and monetary

union. The final text defining the European Pillar

of Social Rights will be based on the results of

this consultation, reflection and debate.

The European pillar of social rights will build

upon the EU’s established social acquis, comple-

menting it whenever necessary to ensure that

the Union’s economic and monetary policies

support the proper functioning and fairness of

European labour markets and welfare systems.

The new principles it establishes are not

meant to replace social rights now in effect but

rather provide a new means for improving the

performance and results of national employ-

ment systems and social policies. The intention

is that once adopted, the Pillar will serve as a

reference framework for evaluating the employ-

ment and social performance of participating

member states, a means of driving reform at the

national level and, more specifically, a compass

for renewed convergence within the eurozone.

Activity on this issue during 2016 focused on

CCOM(2016) 127 final:

Communication from the Com-

mission to the European Parliament, the Council, the Euro-

pean Economic and Social Committee and the Committee

of the Regions. Launching a consultation on a European

Pillar of Social Rights

, Strasbourg, 8 March 2016.