shared-valuesThe European Commission has recently published a Communication on the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights (Social Pillar). The communication provides an overview of Commission initiatives and proposals which are intended to support the implementation of the Social Pillar.

The communication is accompanied by a Commission staff working document, which is a more technical document providing an in-depth overview of the 20 principles of the Social Pillar. This is an updated version of the last Commission staff working document on the European Pillar of Social Rights of April 2017. It provides information on the legal basis of each principle and explains the scope of the principle and the changes introduced by the Social Pillar. Furthermore, it includes an update concerning the implementation of the Social Pillar, describing the steps the Commission has taken for the implementation so far and what Member States and Social Partners can do.

This Commission communication and the staff working document come almost one year after the publication of the Commission’s proposal for a European Pillar of Social Rights and just four months after it has been jointly proclaimed by the three EU Institutions at the Social Summit in Gothenburg on 17 November 2017. This shows the Commission’s commitment to keep the European Pillar of Social Rights on the agenda and push forward its implementation.

Eurodiaconia members can use this document in their national advocacy. As all EU Member States have made a commitment to implement the Social Pillar, this document can be used to remind them their promises.

The Eurodiaconia Secretariat is currently also developing a tracking tool in order to monitor, together with its members, the implementation of the Social Pillar at national level.

To know more about the European Commission communication on the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights, please read the full document.

To learn more on the Commission staff working document, please read the complete publication.