The recent Employment and Social Rights Forum, organised by the European Commission, was intended to reaffirm the European Union’s commitment to a balanced approach between economic progress and social protection. Yet, despite its title, the forum revealed a clear imbalance. Much of the discussion centred on competitiveness, productivity, and economic resilience—important priorities, certainly, but ones that were framed almost exclusively through a market-driven perspective, leaving social rights insufficiently addressed.
Competitiveness dominated the narrative across sessions. Speakers repeatedly emphasised labour market efficiency, skills for growth, and Europe’s position in a changing global economy. While these are legitimate concerns, they were rarely linked to broader questions of social justice, inclusion, or inequality that impact employment and social rights of people in communities across Europe. The result was a discourse that risked reducing people to economic inputs rather than recognising them as individuals and communities with rights and responsibilities within a social model that the EU has long claimed to uphold.
This imbalance was particularly striking in light of the near total absence of references to the European Pillar of Social Rights. As the EU’s main compass for advancing fair working conditions, social protection, and social inclusion, its omission from high-level discussions signals more than a simple oversight—it suggests a worrying de-prioritisation of the European Union’s social commitments at a time when they are most needed.
Even at the highest political level, this gap was evident. In her address, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen focused strongly on economic strength and competitiveness yet made no mention of the European Pillar of Social Rights or the future direction of EU social policy, including the anticipated EU Anti-Poverty Strategy. This absence was particularly notable given the Forum’s stated focus and the growing urgency of addressing economic inequalities across Europe.
To its credit, the Forum did include a dedicated session on the forthcoming EU Anti-Poverty Strategy. This discussion brought together several speakers, including the European Social Network, who highlighted the critical role of social services in tackling poverty and promoting social inclusion at community level, an Anti-Poverty Strategy drafted in a way that those on the ground can implement it, with a focus on the quality of social inclusion programmes, the workforce, and targeted to the most vulnerable, including a specific care guarantee. Speakers also stressed the need for integrated approaches, combining income support with access to quality services such as community health and social care, housing, and long-term care. There was also recognition of the importance of prevention, early intervention, and reaching those most at risk of exclusion.
However, while the session raised important points, it ultimately underscored a broader weakness of the Forum: the lack of clarity from the European Commission about what the future EU Anti-Poverty Strategy will actually entail. Contributions from speakers were thoughtful and grounded in practice, but in the absence of a framework or political direction from the Commission, the discussion struggled to move beyond general principles.
This lack of clarity turned what could have been a significant moment within this development process into a missed opportunity. At a time when expectations are high for a renewed EU commitment to reducing poverty, the Forum could have provided concrete signals, such as priorities or even a preliminary outline of the Strategy. Instead, participants were left with uncertainty, limiting the potential for meaningful dialogue and participant engagement.
The broader issue, therefore, is not that social rights were entirely absent from the Forum, but that they were not given the prominence, coherence, or political backing required. Competitiveness and social inclusion were treated as parallel tracks rather than interconnected goals. Yet the strength of the European project has always rested on the understanding that economic and social progress must go hand in hand.
If the EU is serious about building a resilient and inclusive future, it must move beyond rhetoric and ensure that social rights are fully integrated into its policy agenda. This includes giving due weight to frameworks like the European Pillar of Social Rights and providing clear, actionable commitments within its initiatives such as the EU Anti-Poverty Strategy.
In its current form, the Employment and Social Rights Forum reflected an EU that speaks about economic market-driven ambitions but hesitates when it comes to defining its social vision. Bridging this gap will be essential—not only for policy coherence, but for maintaining the trust and wellbeing of European citizens.
