The State of the European Union 2017

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THE STATE OF THE EUROPEAN UNION
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approved regarding competitiveness and the
single market, for example, provide ample justi-
fication for this concern. The Parliament has
therefore sent the Commission a clear message
that it wants to see an ambitious proposal con-
taining concrete measures and legislative initia-
tives that will set Europe on track not only to
deal with the challenges supposed by globalisa-
tion and the digital revolution but also to im-
prove the quality of employment and establish
wages that allow families to rise above the pov-
erty line and live in dignity.
The EP has also called upon the Commission
to ensure that the European Pillar of Social
Rights includes a framework directive defining a
core set of enforceable rights that delivers on
the objectives and rights set out in the EU
Treaties and the European Social Charter, puts
social rights on an equal footing with economic
freedoms and advocates the establishment of a
decent minimum wage in all EU member states.
It furthermore requests that the Commission
work with social partners on the development
of a proposal for this directive, which should
provide for decent working conditions based on
the principles of fair treatment and non-discrim-
ination, be applicable to all types of contractual
agreements and employment relationships in-
cluding non-standard types of employment and
ensure that all workers enjoy:
– Health and safety protection.
– Protection during maternity leave.
– Provisions on working time and rest time.
– Work-life balance.
– Access to training.
– In-work support for people with disabilities.
– Information, consultation and participation
rights.
Freedom of association and representation
and collective bargaining.
Employment, social developments, social
protection and inclusion in Europe
As in prior years, in 2016 the Commission is-
sued two annual reports dealing with employ-
ment and social developments and social pro-
tection and inclusion.
The first, employment and social develop-
ments in Europe report 4, contains analytical
data used during the European Semester to
guide initiatives such as A New Skills Agenda,
the European Agenda for the Collaborative
Economy, The New Start for Social Dialogue and
the Action Plan on the Integration of Third-
Country Nationals as well as the formulation of
the European Pillar of Social Rights.
This report analyses convergence and diver-
gence in the E(M)U and the outcomes of em-
ployment and social policies. It also addresses
employment dynamics and their social implica-
tions, especially in terms of inequality and pov-
erty, the integration of refugees into the labour
market, the implications of information and
communications technology (ICT) and digitalisa-
tion for the employment market and capacity
building for social dialogue.
Although unemployment levels remain un-
acceptably high and there continue to be sig-
nificant gaps in performance between member
states in this area, three million jobs were cre-
ated in the Union during 2016.
Commissioner for Employment, Social
Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility Marianne
Thyssen recognises in the foreword to this re-
port that although a significant number of jobs
have been created in Europe and fewer
Europeans are at risk of poverty or social exclu-
4
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