Bringing the Parliament closer to workers for a better appreciation of a Social Europe

Independent trade unions in Europe are running a new project with the European Parliament to explain Social Europe in clear and simple terms,

The March Eurobarometer on Social Issues confirms that 88% of European citizens rate EU social policy as being important to them. Seven in ten Europeans consider a lack of social rights to be a serious problem. The vast majority of people believe that there should be more decision-making at European level in areas such as decent work or social protection.

At the same time, fewer than three in ten Europeans have heard about the European Pillar of Social Rights – referred to in the Brussels bubble as a landmark project of the EU. Only about half of Europe’s citizens think that in the future social rights issues will play a more important role in building a stronger EU.

EU social policy is a priority for most citizens and workers. They believe that the EU should be delivering more. At the same time, many are unaware of the EU Institutions’ achievements and commitments and are even openly pessimistic about their expectations of the EU delivering on their social concerns and problems.

As CESI, the European Confederation of Independent Trade Unions and voice of more than five million employees and public servants across Europe, while we are aware of the positive impact that EU social policy has already had, we agree that there are still many central employment and social policy issues to be addressed and solved by EU decisionmakers. Equally important, however, we also recognise that in many instances there is a clear communication problem hampering efforts to create a more positive public image and assessment of the EU in social affairs. Many of the EU’s achievements and initiatives do not receive the public appreciation and support that they deserve.

This is why we have engaged with the European Parliament as part of a project called WeEP to promote stronger dialogue between workers and MEPs and to explain Social Europe’s achievements and outstanding challenges in simple and clear terms.

As a trade union umbrella organisation, we regard it as an obligation to reinforce links between policy-makers and decision-makers on the one side and workers and citizens on the other. Throughout the course of 2021, we will be conducting a series of conversations, debates and interviews with deputies and staff of the European Parliament, to give them a platform to present and discuss ideas, initiatives and opinions about what a Social Europe has achieved and where it should be heading.