Following the decision of the Austrian Presidency to cancel the meeting on the implementation of the Social Pillar, S&D Group vice-president and European Parliament’s rapporteur on the European Pillar of Social Rights, Maria João Rodrigues MEP, said:
“I am deeply disappointed by the Austrian Presidency’s decision to call off the Council meeting on employment and social affairs scheduled to take place on Thursday 11 October. The decision clearly shows not only how little regard the Austrian Presidency has for the declaration of the Social Pillar, but also for issues that affect the lives of millions of Europeans working in precarious conditions”.
“The cancellation is a missed opportunity to achieve progress on the promises made in Gothenburg in November 2017. Building a fairer Europe and strengthening the social dimension of the EU is not an issue we can afford to indefinitely postpone or avoid. We Socialists and Democrats led the drive for the declaration and will continue the fight to make social rights a reality for all Europeans,” she concluded.
The EU leaders from all EU member states endorsed the Proclamation of the European Pillar of Social Rights at the Social Summit, which took place in Gothenburg in November 2017. The Pillar consists of twenty principles aimed at enforcing more ambitious social and labour standards, as well as legislative policy and financial means to implement them.
