Employment Committee MEPs and Commissioner Nicolas Schmit discussed a coordinated support system for refugees amid rising energy prices and supply chain disruptions.
Dragoș PÎSLARU (Renew, RO), the Chair of the Employment and Social Affairs Committee said: “The Employment Committee has been very concerned about the Russian aggression in Ukraine. In order to respond fast and coordinate our forces, we have invited the Commission to present the proposals concerning the labour market and social protection in the EU.
The war in Ukraine has a serious impact on the EU’s economy and social protection policies. Three million people, mostly women and children, sought shelter in neighbouring countries. Our cities, NGOs and volunteers how taught a lesson of solidarity with their amazing initial actions.
Now it is the moment to have a systemic and structural answer from EU level in providing immediate assistance, open up our labour markets and offer social protection. It is crucial to react immediately and bundle all our forces together to provide support to people in pain and the Member States welcoming them, while ensuring that we already look at the long-term measures needed to respond to the crises”.
Nicolas Schmit, Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, said: “The war in Ukraine is having big repercussions, both on the labour market and on the social situation. We need to join efforts with a view to tackling short, medium and long term effects of the war.
In the short term, this is a humanitarian emergency. The Commission is supporting Member States in their remarkable efforts to assist the people fleeing Ukraine. The CARE proposal is progressing swiftly through the European Parliament and the Council. This is a good first step.
For the medium term, the Commission is working with Member States on integration policies for the labour market and training (including linguistic and professional training and the recognition of existing qualifications). As currently, 90% of the refugees are women and children, their employment would need to be supported with the provision of childcare care services.”
Many MEPs took the floor during the debate expressing solidarity with the Ukrainian people. They praised the European Union rapid response and the activating of the temporary protection directive. They raised their concerns of the further growing number of refugees and called for immediate help for local authorities in member states bordering Ukraine, as well as neighbouring countries like Moldova.
MEPs underlined the need for a coordinated system and solidarity in aid distribution. They called on member states to take for key immediate actions, including decent working conditions and protection from social dumping for those willing to work, education, language courses and other integration efforts. They called for adequate social protection, including access to health care and housing, and the use of all available tools provided by REACT-EU,CARE programmes or by SURE to be activated again.
“We have to help the refugees with their suffering, using the financial tools and actions at our disposal, with an integrated approach to our employment and social policies, at local, regional, national and the EU levels”, the Chair concluded.
