As the European elections approach, many citizens feel like the social dimension of the EU is a holy grail. Matthias Savignac, the President of ESN, has given an interview to the newspaper Euractiv calling on the EU to take social action.
“Over the last decade, very little European legislation has focused on social matters, access to healthcare and environmental health. Europe has remained mainly focused on economic concerns.
The adoption of the European Pillar of Social Rights in 2017 represented a step. But it was more a reference grid for assessing member states’ social policies, on the basis of the lowest common denominator. It isn’t a coercive piece of legislation with the objective of upward convergence in social law.
This idea of upward convergence was supported by the International Labour Organization (ILO), which proposed a social protection floor. This floor could be taken up at the European level by proposing a real “social convergence treaty,” including the upward harmonisation of social rights.»
To make a social voice heard in Europe, mutuals have launched a collaborative platform among the Member States, which will allow EU citizens to express their expectations of a social Europe. At the end of this consultation, the propositions which receive the most support will be submitted to the candidates at the head of the European elections list during a major debate on the 11 April in Paris.
The article can be found on Euractiv Website here.
