On 4 March 2020 the European Commission published the
European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan
, which proposes employment, skills and social protection as the headline
targets to be achieved by the end of the decade as part of the EU's
strategic agenda to strengthen the social dimension of the Union and to
build a cohesive, resilient Europe for the future. These targets should
guide policy decisions in the Member States and their regions and should
also allow to measure and monitor progress, along with the revised Social
Scoreboard.
The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) was requested by the Portuguese
Presidency of the Council of the EU to draft an opinion on
The implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights from a local
and regional perspective
, in order to give a fresh impetus to the implementation of the
Pillar and stress the local and regional authorities' central role in the
European recovery and adaptation to climate, digital and demographic
transitions.
The CoR opinion, which will be drafted by SEDEC Commission
Chair Anne Karjalainen (FI/PES), is scheduled for adoption
at the CoR plenary session of 5-7 May 2021 and it will constitute the CoR's
contribution to the Porto Social Summit, organised by the Portuguese
Presidency.
By means of this written consultation, Ms Karjalainen, would like to
consult relevant stakeholders and gather their input to explore the
following questions:
-
On 4 March 2021 the European Commission has published
an Action Plan for the implementation of the European Pillar of Social
Rights (EPSR)
. To what extent do you find the proposal satisfactory? Could you
propose any points that should be stronger?
Did not expect more action at European level?
-
The Action Plan foresees a number of quantitative objectives
[1]
to be achieved by 2030 in the areas of employment, skills and social
protection by inviting Member States and cities and regions to
work towards implementing the Action Plan. Do you find these objectives
comprehensive enough and realistic?
Which policy area(s) would you prioritise in the specific context
of your local or regional authority /organisation?
-
The EPSR Action Plan offers a number of opportunities for local and
regional governments and recognises their role on the implementation of
the Pillar. However, there are several areas where it could have been
more open to the regional and local perspective.
In which ways can local and regional authorities be involved in the
Action Plan and facilitate its implementation?
-
The revised version of the Social Scoreboard only measures progress at
national level and lacks indicators covering regional disparities. A regional social scoreboard will ensure that the Social
Pillar is implemented at all levels. What indicators would you add in
order to capture the various realities of the local and regional level?
-
On 7 May 2021, the Social Summit in Porto, to be held
under the Portuguese Presidency, is the ideal occasion to initiate the
European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan in order to secure
political commitment to concrete targets and timelines in relation to
its implementation. What are your expectations in relation to this?
You are kindly invited to contribute to this consultation by sending your
replies to the questions above, or any additional comments, to sedec@cor.europa.eu
until 9 April 2021.
[1]
At least 78% of the population aged 20 to 64 should be in
employment by 2030.
At least 60% of all adults should participate in training every
year.
The number of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion should
be reduced by at least 15 million by 2030.