The European Commission is expected to present a new Action Plan for the European Pillar of Social Rights, building on the plan adopted in March 2021 and updating the European Union’s strategy for implementing the 20 principles of the European Pillar of Social Rights. Proclaimed in 2017 by the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union and the European Commission, the Pillar sets out a framework of principles and rights aimed at promoting better living and working conditions by strengthening equal opportunities, access to the labour market, fair working conditions, and social protection and inclusion.

The 2021 Action Plan established three headline targets to be achieved by 2030: increasing the employment rate of people aged 20 to 64 to at least 78%; ensuring that 60% of adults participate in training and learning activities every year; and lifting at least 15 million people, including five million children, out of poverty or social exclusion. These targets have since been incorporated into the European Semester, the European Union’s framework for coordinating economic, employment and social policies.

Since the publication of the first Action Plan, the European Commission has introduced a range of legislative and policy initiatives to implement the principles of the Pillar. These include the Directive on adequate minimum wages in the European Union, the Pay Transparency Directive, new rules aimed at improving the working conditions of platform workers, and several initiatives designed to promote skills development. At the same time, financial instruments such as the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) have supported reforms and investments aimed at strengthening employment, social inclusion and skills development across the Member States.

Preparations for the updated Action Plan were preceded by a public consultation launched by the European Commission, which gathered contributions from Member States, public authorities and European citizens. The purpose of the consultation was to assess the progress made since 2021 and to collect input for defining the future priorities of the European Union’s social policy.

The forthcoming Action Plan is expected to update the European strategy for implementing the European Pillar of Social Rights, providing the basis for future initiatives by the Commission and for dialogue with the European Parliament, the Council and the Member States. It is also expected to take stock of progress towards the 2030 targets and to set the framework for the continued development of the social dimension of European integration.