Social Europe: Empowering people in times of change

3-4 March 2026, Brussels

That’s a wrap on the fourth edition of the European Employment and Social Rights Forum

Thank you to everyone who took part in the 2026 European Employment and Social Rights Forum. 
This fourth edition brought together a growing community, with over 5200 registrations and more than 1500 participants attending in person. 

The 2026 Forum explored how Europe can secure quality jobs, fair opportunities and effective social protection, while adapting to technological change, economic pressures and an increasingly uncertain geopolitical environment. 

You can now discover the highlights and revisit all sessions in the replay section and explore the photo galleries from Day 1 and Day 2.
 

Highlights

Speakers

The Forum featured high-level speakers from across Europe.

Discover more speakers

A Social Europe ready for the future

Rapid change is reshaping our societies, workplaces, and daily lives. Those who are already struggling feel the impact most of all. Our social model must keep pace to make sure Europe remains the best place to work and live. 

How can we maintain Europe’s social model while staying competitive on the global stage? What policies are needed to support workers and businesses through change, and to prepare the next generation for a rapidly evolving world of work? 

The 2026 Forum looked at how we can secure quality jobs, fair opportunities and effective social protection while adapting to technological advancements, economic pressures and a highly uncertain geopolitical environment. 

The European Employment and Social Rights Forum is organised by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion. It is the EU’s annual flagship event on employment, social protection and social rights policies.