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A strong social Europe for Just Transitions

TA-9-2020-0371 · P9_TA(2020)0371 · PE657.413

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✦ In short · AI summary of this text, generated 25 Sept 2026

Written by a language model from the full text only; every figure comes from the text. The paragraph links open the paragraph a statement rests on — check the text itself before relying on it.

Parliament's resolution sets out what a strong social Europe for just transitions should contain. It calls for a Porto agenda with mandatory social targets, more money for social investment, decent work, equal opportunities, robust welfare systems and fair mobility. It asks the Commission and member states to strengthen collective bargaining, tackle in-work poverty, youth unemployment, precarious work and gender inequality, and to protect workers in the green and digital transitions. It demands new or revised EU rules on minimum income, pay transparency, disability, teleworking, platform work, due diligence, temporary agency work and social security coordination. It calls for social spending in the recovery, including the European Child Guarantee, the Just Transition Fund, the Youth Guarantee and an EU unemployment reinsurance scheme.

Key points

  1. Parliament wants a Porto agenda for 2030 with mandatory social and sustainable targets, covering decent work, social justice, welfare systems and fair mobility, adopted at the May 2021 Porto summit.
  2. It asks for the European Pillar of Social Rights and a social progress protocol to be integrated into the Treaties, and for more social policy areas to be decided by qualified majority.
  3. It calls on member states to use flexibility in EU public finance rules for social spending, and for the recovery plan to have a strong social dimension with upward social convergence in national reform programmes.
  4. It wants Social Progress Plans to set out how Porto targets and Pillar principles will be implemented, and welcomes the SURE short-time work instrument, asking the Commission to consider a permanent version.
  5. It welcomes an EU Unemployment Benefit Reinsurance Scheme, the Just Transition Fund and a bigger European Globalisation Adjustment Fund, and asks for more money for the Just Transition Fund.
  6. It wants at least 5% of shared-management ESF+ resources for the European Child Guarantee, EUR 3 billion in its first year and at least EUR 20 billion over 2021-2027, plus an anti-poverty strategy.
  7. It calls for a binding Youth Guarantee, at least 15% of shared-management ESF+ resources for youth employment, and an enforceable ban on unpaid internships, traineeships and apprenticeships.
  8. It wants decent wages, a living wage index study, statutory minimum wages above a decency threshold, and collective bargaining coverage of 90% by 2030.
  9. It calls for eliminating involuntary temporary and part-time work by 2030, 80% of new jobs being middle- or high-paying, and an end to zero-hour contracts and bogus self-employment.
  10. It asks for new EU rules on platform work, fair teleworking, workers' information and consultation, binding human rights due diligence, and revised temporary agency work and public procurement rules.
  11. It calls for a minimum income framework, a post-2020 disability strategy, a 0% gender pay gap target for 2030, pay transparency legislation and action on affordable housing and homelessness by 2030.
  12. It wants better enforcement, including at least one labour inspector per 10,000 employed persons by 2030, a stronger European Labour Authority and a digital EU social security number.

Who is affected

  • Workers in the EU, especially young people, women, older people, persons with disabilities, mobile and seasonal workers, and the self-employed.
  • Employers and companies, including platform businesses, temporary work agencies and subcontracting chains, which would face new duties and conditions for public funds.
  • EU member states, which are asked to spend, legislate and enforce in social policy, employment, housing and social security.
  • The European Commission, which is asked to propose directives, strategies and funds on wages, work, care, disability and social security.
  • Social partners and trade unions, which the resolution wants involved in policymaking and given access to workplaces and collective bargaining.

Figures and deadlines

  • Collective bargaining coverage target of 90% by 2030.
  • At least 5% of shared-management ESF+ resources for the European Child Guarantee.
  • EUR 3 billion for the first year of the European Child Guarantee.
  • At least EUR 20 billion invested in the European Child Guarantee in 2021-2027.
  • At least 3% of shared-management ESF+ resources to tackle food and material deprivation.
  • At least 15% of shared-management ESF+ resources for quality youth employment.
  • Gender pay gap of 16%, with a 0% target for 2030.
  • At least one labour inspector per 10,000 employed persons by 2030.

Legal basis: Articles 3 and 5 of the Treaty on European Union, and Articles 9, 151, 152, 153, 156, 157, 162 and 168 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.