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A MODEST RESURGENCE OF SOCIAL POLICY IN A EUROPE THREATENED BY PERSISTENT POVERTY AND INEQUALITY
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the public consultation process mentioned
above, which was part of a broader structured
dialogue intended to sound out the opinions of
the widest possible range of national authori-
ties, social partners, and citizens. In parallel to
this public consultation mechanism, the
Commission also established direct channels of
contact, discussion and exchange of opinion
with other European institutions, national and
parliamentary authorities, labour unions, busi-
ness associations, NGOs, social services provid-
ers, academic experts and the general public.
During this period, the Commission has
sought to mobilise public opinion and stimulate
an exchange of ideas and proposals on which to
base the formulation of the Pillar by encourag-
ing interested parties and stakeholders to or-
ganise grassroots events on the topic.
The structured dialogue launched by the
Commission divided issues related to employ-
ment and social policy into three basic catego-
ries, each of which covered a number of rele-
vant subordinate policy points and objectives.
These three categories are:
– Equal opportunities and access to the labour
market, which covers the development of
professional skills, lifelong learning and ac-
tive support for job seekers – areas that have
been identified as key to broadening the
scope of workers’ employment opportuni-
ties, facilitating their career transitions and
improving their employability.
– Fair working conditions, which addresses the
need to achieve a balance between workers’
and employers’ rights and obligations that
offers the combination of flexibility and se-
curity needed to support job creation, facili-
tate career transition, allow companies to
adapt to change and promote constructive
social dialogue, and
– Adequate and sustainable social protection,
which concerns the quality of, and access to,
health care and social protection services (in-
cluding those that provide support for chil-
dren and infants, the elderly and the disa-
bled) considered key to ensuring the
personal dignity of all citizens and the miti-
gation of social risks they may face over the
course of their lives. Policies in this area must
guarantee that all EU citizens have the op-
portunity to enter the labour market and
participate fully in society.
Every EU institution is participating in the de-
velopment of the new pillar as befits its particu-
lar mandate. The European Economic and Social
Committee, for example, has organised 28 na-
tional debates on issues related to the proposed
pillar that have generated invaluable input from
every member state and helped to identify the
specific needs of those belonging to the
Economic and Monetary Union.
The Report on a European Pillar of Social
Rights
3
issued by the European Parliament’s
Committee on Employment and Social Affairs,
which contains a motion for an EP resolution
subsequently adopted by that body, called on
the Commission to present a proposal that goes
beyond a declaration of principles or good in-
tentions and represents an initiative capable of
having a positive impact on the lives of EU citi-
zens. As such, it constitutes a demand for the
end of routine declarations grounded in gener-
al, undefined principles unaccompanied by spe-
cific provisions for the creation of a truly social
Europe. The contrast between the indetermi-
nate nature of European social policy and the
highly specific measures that have been
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