Promoting the wellbeing of citizens is a central tenet of the EU and should be the starting point for all policy decisions made in Brussels. A more coherent approach to linking social policies with economic policies and sustainable development will lead to increased competitiveness in the EU; a strong focus on social policy is good for the economy and vice versa. Furthermore, strengthening this link will also help to increase legitimacy and the feeling of trust in the EU, bringing the EU closer to its citizens.

Eurodiaconia has been actively engaged in strengthening the balance between economic and social policies in the EU since 2011, and especially since the start of the financial and economic crisis in 2008. Ensuring that EU legislation properly considers the social impact is not just a good political sense, it makes good economic sense too and we will continue to push for a more coherent approach to balancing these priorities in the coming years. To learn more about Eurodiaconia’s work on balancing economic and social policies in the EU, please contact our Policy and Membership Development Officer Laura Rayner at Laura.rayner@eurodiaconia.org.