Social Europe : summary

A strong Social Europe is about people and their well-being. Europe is home to the most equal societies in the world, with the highest standards in working conditions and broad social protection. This unique model is pivotal for Europe's social and economic resilience, delivering well-being for its citizens and safeguarding the planet. The EU's ambition is to make good on the promise of shared prosperity. This is also the promise of the European Pillar of Social Rights proclaimed by the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission at the Gothenburg Summit in 2017. With the European Pillar of Social Rights as its social compass, faced with structural shifts linked to climate change, digitalisation, globalisation, and demographic shifts, Europe keeps updating its 'social rulebook' to ensure a social market economy that secures jobs, fair working conditions, and social protection. In response to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, national and EU-level policy measures, including job retention schemes, have demonstrated European solidarity, successfully mitigating the pandemic's adverse impact on employment, thus preserving jobs, incomes, and economic stability.