News

This 2025 report shows that the Western Balkan Six have made considerable progress in aligning their employment and social policy frameworks with the European Pillar of Social Rights.

The 2025 Annual Report of the Social Protection Committee reports a general improvement in 2024 in the social situation in the EU, with a reduction of just over 1 million in the number of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion and of 0.5 million for children.

The European Alliance for Apprenticeships (EAfA) has launched a new, user-friendly toolkit to support policymakers, vocational education and training (VET) providers, companies, and public employment services in fostering adult apprenticeships.

The European Network of Public Employment Services has just adopted an Opinion Paper on the new Action Plan to implement the European Pillar of Social Rights, highlighting PES’ contribution to its implementation.

The Commission’s 2025 Employment and Social Developments in Europe (ESDE) report highlights the importance of better integrating underrepresented groups - women, older people, migrants and persons with disabilities - into the job market to mitigate skills and labour shortages.

The European Commission launched the process to seek views on the upcoming EU Anti-Poverty Strategy, the first of its kind at EU level. The strategy will aim to provide essential protection to people and tackle the root causes of poverty.

The Commission has launched the second-stage consultation of European social partners to gather their views on the content of a potential EU action to ensure workers’ right to disconnect and fair telework.

The Commission proposed stronger safeguards for workers exposed to hazardous substances. The measures are expected to prevent around 1,700 lung cancer cases and 19,000 other serious illnesses over the next 40 years.

The European Public Service Union (EPSU) and social employers have signed a new framework of action to boost retention and recruitment in the care sector. It aims at facing the persistent staff shortages and high turnover rates of care workers.