At the informal meeting of Employment, Social, Health and Consumer Affairs Ministers hosted by the incoming Belgian EU Presidency, Pierre-Yves Dermagne, the Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Economy and Employment, stressed that Europe must have a strong determination to achieve its social ambitions.
“It is time to remember the importance of the social dimension of Europe. This is the added value of Europe, its DNA: protect, prepare and strengthen people”, Mr Dermagne told the meeting.
Belgium's efforts in advancing Europe’s social agenda underscore for the European Social Network (ESN) that social inclusion needs to be a political priority at EU level. This reinforces ESN's efforts for better care and support for all, particularly the most vulnerable in Europe. However, we are concerned by the lack of connection between these high-level commitments and how they cascade down to the local level.
Renewing the Commitment to the European Pillar of Social Rights
Through a high-level conference on the European Pillar of Social Rights (EPSR) on April 15 and 16, the Belgian Presidency aims to renew EU member states’ commitment to this major social policy document, which was first set out in 2017. This will be done in an interinstitutional Declaration outlining the future of Social Europe, which will serve as a roadmap for the social and strategic agendas of the upcoming European legislature (2024-2029).
The European Social Network (ESN) welcomes this renewed commitment but highlights that the Presidency needs to connect as well with those who are working in social services on the ground and are therefore responsible for the implementation of most Pillar principles, particularly those that relate to social protection.
Local and regional social services play a crucial role in promoting the social inclusion of vulnerable populations like those with long-term care or support needs or children in need of protection. Engaging with them is key for the success of this high-level declaration,” explained Alfonso Lara Montero, Chief Executive Officer of ESN.
Putting forward a Robust Social Agenda for 2024-2029
In its commitment to shaping the future social agenda, the Belgian Presidency prioritises strengthening the EU's resilience against future health threats by, among other things, developing a strategy to boost the EU’s health and care workforce. While this proposal is welcome, it would not have the desired effect unless it looks in an equal manner to the social services workforce addressing challenges related to both social work and social care, as ESN has been highlighting in previous publications.
The new presidency aims to strengthen the social dimension of the European semester. ESN has taken steps to bridge the gap between the issues local social services face and recommendations provided at EU level. In 2023, we launched the Social Services Index, a pioneering tool that provides insights about legislation, investment and coverage - three key pillars for understanding how social services operate in Member States. Based on this assessment, European Commission’s recommendations for national governments in the framework of the European Semester can be grounded on local evidence.
In addition, during the first Informal EPSCO meeting under the Belgian Presidency, discussions highlighted the essential role of quality social services. ESN has been a champion in leading efforts to ensure common quality standards in social services across Europe and is now leading a working groupthat will propose a specific framework covering principles, standards and potential indicators.
As the Leading Social Services Network in Europe, ESN looks forward to contributing to discussions put forward by the Belgian Presidency of the European Council. ESN’s CEO will speak at the upcoming Belgian Presidency Conference on Building Inclusive Pathways for Better Digital Services on 13 -14 March, where he will address the impact of technology in the social services workforce, social services management and delivery to support future Presidency declarations on the future of Social Europe.
The programme of the Belgian presidency can be downloaded here.
