Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council. Strengthening the social dimension of the Economic and Monetary Union

On 28 November 2012, the European Commission adopted a blueprint for a deep and genuine economic and monetary union (EMU), setting out a vision for a strong and stable architecture for the political, fiscal and economic components of EMU. The December 2012 European Council supported the development of the social dimension of the EMU, including social dialogue.

To this end, the June 2013 European Council recalled that the social dimension should be strengthened and emphasised the importance of better monitoring and of taking account of the social and labour market situation in the EMU, notably by using appropriate employment and social indicators as part of the ‘European Semester’ process for economic policy coordination. It also pointed to the need to improve coordination of employment and social policies, while fully respecting national competences, and to the role of the social partners and social dialogue, at both EU and national levels. The European Parliament also expressed its views on priorities for achieving a genuine EMU, in particular recommending a social pact for Europe.

This Communication on strengthening the social dimension is a further contribution from the Commission to the debate on deepening EMU, bearing in mind that the general social agenda is a matter for the 28 Member States. It should also be noted that employment and social policies fall very largely under the national competence of the Member States. What the Commission proposes is a number of initiatives to strengthen the social dimension of EMU with a particular focus on three points:
i. Reinforced surveillance of employment and social challenges and policy coordination;
ii. Enhanced solidarity and action on employment and labour mobility;
iii. Strengthened social dialogue.

EUR-Lex: COM(2013)690: Follow the progress of this communication through the decision-making procedure http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/HIS/?uri=COM:2013:690:FIN

ESO: Background information: The future of the Economic and Monetary Union: Commission proposes ideas to deepen social integration http://www.europeansources.info/record/press-release-the-future-of-the-economic-and-monetary-union-commission-proposes-ideas-to-deepen-social-integration/

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