EU Pillar of Social Rights: We need a trust-based social partnership

Today, the European Commission published its action plan to implement the European pillar of social rights, which includes a Commission recommendation on Effective Active Support to Employment – EASE. Alongside this action plan, the Commission published a draft directive on "strengthening the principle of equal pay for equal work of equal value between men and women through pay transparency".

BusinessEurope Director General Markus J. Beyrer said: "The crisis situation is a test of Europe’s economic and social fabric. Social dialogue throughout the past year has proven it plays an important role. We are committed to contribute constructively to Europe's social dimension and to the action plan. The plan must move beyond purely short-term crisis response. By putting a focus on better performing active labour market policies, EASE is a step in the right direction.

To overcome common European social challenges, we need a trustful cooperation between the Commission, Member States, and social partners. Together, we need to facilitate job creating investment and reform our labour markets and social systems to ensure future prosperity.

We also support the objective of fighting pay discrimination. Reasonable requirements on pay transparency can be part of the answer. However, the key to improve gender equality is to address the root causes of inequalities, especially gender stereotypes, labour market segregation and insufficient provision of childcare. Furthermore, any EU initiative on pay transparency must respect national social partners' competences for wage-setting, allow to determine pay according to individual performance and fully respect the confidentiality of individual pay. It should not complicate human resources management with excessive administrative burdens and open the way to undue litigation."

BusinessEurope, the leading EU cross-industry employer social partner, is committed to contributing to developing the social dimension of Europe a way that will allow enterprises to thrive, create employment opportunities and have better access to the skilled workforce they need.