Employment and Social Affairs

Boosting skills, inclusiveness and labour mobility

The work of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL) covers policies on skills development, vocational training, free movement of workers, discrimination in the workplace and labour market, the protection of mental health at work as well as occupational health and safety.

EPP Group goals for this committee include the promotion of actions to boost youth employment and entrepreneurship, fostering an inclusive labour market and promoting the mobility of workers. In this sense, the EPP Group has achieved major victories, such as an increase in European funding for all youth-related policies, including programmes like the EU Youth Guarantee and Erasmus+.

In light of the European Year of Skills (May 2023-May 2024), the EPP Group, as its instigator, is calling for more ambition to match Europeans’ job aspirations and skills with a future-oriented labour market that is fit to tackle the digital and green transition of our economy. Therefore, upskilling, reskilling and life-long learning are essential priorities. With a strong emphasis on social dialogue, we are pushing for a win-win situation for all parties involved.

Overall, we have been working towards a more competitive and dynamic labour market and social economy, while fully respecting the principle of subsidiarity.