The COMECE Social Affairs Commission gathered on 21 June 2018 to exchange with EU officials on three current social issues of particular interest for the Church in Europe: the EU Work-life Balance package, the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for 2021-2027 and the Future of Work.
The Commission, chaired by its president Mgr. Antoine Hérouard (France), discussed the state of play on the negotiation of the EU Work-life Balance package with Michaela Šojdrová, Czech Member of the European Parliament (EPP).
The proposed legislation shall revise the EU-wide minimum standards on parental, paternity and careers’ leave. Already in early Spring, COMECE, together with Caritas Europa and the Federation of Catholic Family Associations in Europe (FAFCE), showed its general support for the proposal, for which the Council of the EU adopted last week its negotiating position.
The participants discussed also the proposed long-term budget of the EU, the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for 2021-2027. Together with Stefan Lehner, Director in DG BUDGET, European Commission, the Social Affairs Commission analysed the different proposals of the package, together with the spending programmes, presented by the Commission on May 2018.
The last session of the Commission was devoted to the Future of work through the inputs on the changing world of work and the demographic change in the rural areas in Europe provided by Séamus Boland (EESC).
Participants further discussed conference COMECE is organising in November 2018 together with the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) and faith-based partners.
In the past months, the Social Affairs Commission elaborated, in close dialogue with experts of European Catholic-inspired organisations, a contribution on the future of work debate. The document shall be published in mid-September 2018.
Media
Photo Gallery