The European Pillar of Social Rights was presented as a compass to make EU policy more social. However, close to a year after its adoption, it seems that instead, the Social Pillar became more economical.
On 17th November 2017, the European Commission, European Parliament and all Member States ‘proclaimed’ the European Pillar of Social Rights (the Social Pillar). Almost a year later, on 2nd October 2018, the Commission organised a conference in Brussels to see if there was any progress on the social front.
At the end of the conference, NGOs were asked to engage more actively with the Social Pillar and to go beyond speaking about the social principles towards (economic) facts and data. This data could then be used in the European Semester, the EU’s main budgetary monitoring tool, to make the economic case for social policy.
At ENIL, we are always keen to assist. Nevertheless, we think that Europe’s social policy could do with a bit more creativity than economic facts collection. In November, ENIL will publish its Elections Manifesto, which will unveil an innovative approach to social policy that starts from people, moving beyond economy.
The Manifesto will also highlight crucial areas where the European Union can take the lead to implement the Social Pillar principles to realize social inclusion.
We hope that the EU Institutions are as excited as we are and look forward to work together to move the EU’s social policy from economic segregation towards social inclusion.
