The 2-day informal meeting of Employment and Social Affairs Ministers of EU Member States, which ended today, focused on the topic of creating a more resilient and inclusive labour market. The discussions were chaired under the new Slovenian EU Presidency.
According to the press release, the ministers discussed policies to ensure more inclusive labour markets for all generations, which lend support to people that find themselves in transitional periods during their working lives, bring about social welfare and promote productivity and competitiveness. They consented that a package of actions to improve the management of diversity in the workplace, prevent discriminatory practices and strengthen intergenerational cooperation is necessary.
Our partners from Social Platform were also present during the meeting and welcomed the involvement of Civil Society. One of the points they highlighted is the need to ensure equal pay for equal work through adequate minimum wage, where no discrimination is allowed.
Ensuring a social market economy that promotes inclusive growth constitutes a priority for Eurodiaconia and its members and this is demonstrated, for instance, by their engagement in the provision of work integration and related social services which often target people with lower employability or requiring specific support to reach employment and social inclusion, such as unemployed persons, young people, migrants, persons with disabilities or persons with mental health issues, among others.
To find out more about Eurodiaconia’s perspectives on strategies to promote access to employment for all people, please have a look at our policy paper here.
To find out more about the outcomes of the EPSCO Council, please visit their website here.