Social policies to go hand-in hand with competitiveness : How employers see the social dimension of the EU

- Competitiveness and higher productivity based on skills and knowledge represent the only sound recipe for maintaining the well-being of European societies. - Economic growth and a well-functioning internal market are preconditions for strengthening the social dimension of the EU. - Demographic change and digitalisation mean that we need adaptable and flexible national education and training systems, labour markets, and welfare systems. - While the EU aims at better economic and social convergence starting-points and national circumstances differ between EU countries. This should be acknowledged in all discussions about employment and social policies. - The EU-level should only deal with those social matters, which require an EU approach. The principles of subsidiarity and proportonionality must be strictly observed. - At EU level, the key to success is to enforce and apply existing rules and structures more efficiently. The Social Scoreboard that feeds into the European semester should serve as a guide for Member States' economic and social reform activities. - The EU needs to respect the autonomy of national and European social partners.