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Social rights in the EU

The EU coordinates policies in the fields of employment and social inclusion to support social rights in all EU member states.

The EU’s commitment to social issues

Employment and social inclusion policies are primarily the responsibility of EU countries. This means that national governments decide on issues such as wage regulation, pensions systems and retirement age, and unemployment benefits.

However, over the years, the EU has been supporting member states with laws, funds and tools to better coordinate national policies, promote employment, improve living and working conditions, provide adequate social protection and combat social exclusion.

In the Council these issues are discussed by ministers in the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (EPSCO).

The European Pillar of Social Rights

To deliver new and more effective rights for people and support fair and well-functioning labour markets and welfare systems, the EU established in November 2017 the European Pillar of Social Rights.

The pillar is based on 20 principles and reaffirms the EU’s commitment to ensuring better living and working conditions throughout the EU. It comprises a number of initiatives to ensure the following rights of EU citizens:

  • equal opportunities and access to the labour market
  • fair working conditions
  • adequate and sustainable social protection

In 2021, EU leaders reaffirmed their pledge to work towards a more social Europe in the Porto Declaration:

More than ever, Europe must be the continent of social cohesion and prosperity. We reaffirm our pledge to work towards a social Europe. EU leaders, Porto Declaration, 7 May 2021

Focus on jobs, skills and education, and fighting poverty and social exclusion

Delivering on the European Pillar of Social Rights is a shared political commitment and responsibility of the EU institutions and EU countries. Regional and local authorities, social partners and civil society all have a role to play in line with their respective competences.

In 2021, the EU adopted a European Pillar of Social Rights action plan which details the the EU's goal of implementing the 20 principles of the Pillar.

In Porto, EU leaders endorsed three EU targets to be reached by 2030:

Illustration: Advancing a stronger Social Europe.
Advancing a stronger Social Europe (infographic)

Advancing a stronger Social Europe (infographic)

Key measures in employment and social policy

Social rights for Europeans working abroad

The Treaty of Rome (1957) already included fundamental principles such as the right of workers to move freely within the EU. To make this mobility possible, further provisions were adopted over the years, such as rules for the mutual recognition of diplomas, guarantees regarding medical treatment when abroad and safeguards regarding already acquired pension rights.

In 2018, EU countries approved new legislation on the posting of workers to ensure equal pay for equal work in the same place.

EU rules on social security coordination ensure that people do not lose their social security protection when moving to another EU country. A revision of this legislation has been under discussion in the Council, but an agreement with the European Parliament to bring forward the negotiations has not yet been reached.

Secure and adaptable employment

In 2022, the Council adopted a recommendation on fair transition towards climate neutrality. It contains guidance to provide support to quality employment and focuses on education and training measures.

Education, training and life-long learning

In 2022, the Council adopted a recommendation on individual learning accounts. Its aim is to help working-age adults to upgrade and adapt their skills in the context of the green and digital.

The Council also adopted a recommendation to stimulate learning for the green transition and sustainable development. This is crucial to ensure learners of all ages acquire the knowledge to live more sustainably, obtain the skills needed in a changing labour market and take action for a sustainable future.

To strengthen lifelong learning, the Council is recommending member states to adopt a European approach to micro-credentials and in particular to apply a common EU definition, EU standards and key principles for the design and issuance of micro-credentials. 

Improving working conditions

The EU has adopted rules on working conditions, such as working time or part-time work, as well as legislation to tackle workplace discrimination and to ensure workers’ health and safety.

The EU has established EU rules that promote adequate statutory minimum wages in Europe and help to achieve improve working and living conditions for employees in Europe.

In 2019, the EU adopted rules introducing new minimum rights regarding transparency and predictability of working conditions. These rules are designed to protect all workers in the EU, including the most vulnerable employees on atypical contracts and in non-standard jobs, such as gig economy workers.

In June 2024, the Council agreed its negotiating position (‘general approach’) on a new directive that seeks to make the representation of workers in large multinational companies more effective. The European Works Council Directive will amend existing legislation, making them easier to set up, better funded and better protected. European Works Councils (EWCs) represent European workers in large multinational companies that operate in at least two EU or European Economic Area (EEA) countries. They are the main instrument for informing and consulting employees on planned decisions relating to transnational issues. 

In response of the growing challenges of the platform economy, the EU is working on new rules on platform work.

The EU also wants to ensure a proper work-life balance for all workers. In 2019, EU countries adopted new rules to better reconcile employees' work and private life and strengthen the rights of parents and carers.

European Labour Authority

In 2019, EU countries also approved plans to establish a European Labour Authority to ensure the fair and simple application of EU rules on labour mobility and social security coordination.

Health and safety at work

Additionally, EU countries regularly update EU legislation on the protection of people at the workplace, for example by setting stricter exposure limit values for harmful chemical substances, for example asbestos.

Image: Workers wearing protective gear and removing asbestos from a roof.
The impact of asbestos on workers’ health (infographic)

The impact of asbestos on workers’ health (infographic)

Social inclusion and equal opportunities

The EU has also taken action to ensure equality and social inclusion in society. The Treaties enshrine the right to equality between women and men and set out the principle of equal pay for women and men.

The EU has rules:

  • to promote a more balanced representation of men and women on the boards of listed companies
  • on pay transparency
  • that make it illegal to discriminate against people on the basis of their race or ethnicity
  • on accessible services for persons with disabilities

EU citizens are also protected against discrimination in employment and occupation.

EU combats discrimination against Roma

The EU highlights the importance of the equal participation of Roma in society. Member states are committed to effectively fight discrimination against Roma people and to promote their inclusion in the key areas of education, employment, health and housing.

On 12 March 2021, the Council adopted a recommendation on Roma equality, inclusion and participation. The recommendation includes measures to:

  • fight online and offline discrimination (including harassment, antigypsyism, stereotyping, anti-Roma rhetoric and hate speech)
  • combat multiple and structural discrimination against Roma, in particular women, children, LGBTI persons and persons with disabilities
  • promote multi-cultural awareness-raising activities and campaigns in schools

Equality bodies

To help promote equality and prevent discrimination the EU stipulated that all member states must establish national equality bodies to deal with cases of discrimination on the grounds of sex, and racial or ethnic origin.

The EU adopted new rules in May 2024 aiming to improve the effectiveness of these bodies and guarantee their independence. They establish common EU-wide minimum requirements for equality bodies in a number of key areas, including:

  • enhanced competences for equality bodies to combat discrimination on the grounds of religion or belief, disability, age and sexual orientation in the area of employment, and discrimination based on sex in the area of social security
  • a legal requirement for equality bodies to be independent from external influence
  • a legal requirement to provide equality bodies with sufficient human, technical and financial resources
  • a requirement for public institutions to consult equality bodies on matters related to discrimination, and for equality bodies to be empowered to carry out activities to prevent discrimination and promote equal treatment, for example, by promoting positive action and equality mainstreaming
  • increased powers to conduct inquiries and engage in dispute resolution in discrimination cases, in line with national law and practice

Combating poverty

The EU has also established a specific Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived (FEAD) to support national initiatives to provide food and/or basic material assistance to the most deprived people combined with guidance and support to help people out of poverty.

European Child Guarantee

In 2021, the Council adopted a recommendation establishing the European Child Guarantee, to prevent and combat social exclusion of children in need.

EU countries committed to guaranteeing access to a set of key services, thereby helping to uphold the rights of the child by combating child poverty and fostering equal opportunities.

Illustration: European Child Guarantee: how the EU protects children.
European Child Guarantee: how the EU protects children (infographic)

European Child Guarantee: how the EU protects children (infographic)

Youth employment

In recent years, some specific measures have been taken to prevent inequalities, and especially to support young people entering the labour market.

To tackle youth unemployment, EU countries agreed in 2013 to launch the Youth Guarantee, an EU initiative to give everyone under 25 a good quality offer of employment, continued education, an apprenticeship or a traineeship within a period of four months of becoming unemployed or leaving formal education.

Assistance to the unemployed

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the EU created a temporary instrument to support workers and businesses that were hit by the crisis. This temporary support programme, called SURE, makes loans with favourable terms available to EU countries to help them finance short-time work schemes and similar measures. The programme is intended to help EU countries protect jobs and workers against the risk of unemployment and loss of income due to the negative economic and social consequences of the pandemic.

In 2020, EU countries also reached an agreement on the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund. This instrument was created in 2007 to support workers that have been displaced due to restructuring, when for example large companies shut down or production is moved outside the EU. The fund provides support for European workers, helping them to reskill, upskill and find new jobs.

Strong women strong Europe

To celebrate International Women's Day on 8 March, we collected 8 inspiring stories from 8 women who have the courage of their convictions.

Although their achievements are different, they each contribute in their own way to making European society fairer and more inclusive.

International Women's Day is also a good opportunity to look back on our collective journey throughout the decades, mapping advances in the struggle for women's rights and equality.

Illustration: 8 women who contribute to making European society fairer and more inclusive.
The story of 8 women that are contributing to make Europe fairer and more inclusive
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Last review: 4 February 2025