Social Summit for Fair Jobs and Growth in Gothenburg

Sweden´s Prime Minister Stefan Löfven and the president of the Europen Commission, Jean Claude Juncker, will jointly host the Social Summit in Gothenburg on 17 November 2017.

The Social Summit for Job and Growth will gather EU heads of states or government, social partners and other key stakeholders at the highest level for a broad, open and informal discussion on how to promote fair job and growth. It will thereby contribute to the ongoing discussion about the social dimension of the future of Europe.

The world of work and our societies are changing fast. New opportunities and new challenges are arising from globalisation, the digitalisation of society, changing work patterns and demographic developments. While the European economy is now on a more stable footing, there is still a need to deliver fair jobs and growth for all.

The Social Summit will encourage a dynamic exchange, building on an interactive format. A brief introductory part will be followed by three parallel sessions. These will focus on how to make the most of new opportunities and how to tackle common challenges for labour markets and welfare models of today and tomorrow. The themes are structured as follow: access to labour market, the situation on the labour market and transition between jobs on the labour market.

BusinessEurope and its member federations ready to contribute to the future of Europe

BusinessEurope, the leading organisation for businesses in Europe, is a strong supporter of the European project and has been at the forefront of its construction ever since the Treaty of Rome. BusinessEurope therefore feels a strong responsibility to make sure we move forward united and undertake all necessary efforts to build a stronger Europe.

Europe is one of the world’s best places to live, work, and do business, and this has not happened by chance. It is the European Union that has made this European way of life possible. Even so, it needs to be acknowledged that the EU is also currently facing unprecedented and critical challenges and therefore, the EU needs to come up with new solutions in areas where it can deliver concrete benefits and where EU action provides for clear added value.

Companies, business undertakings and entrepreneurs, as the main creators of jobs and growth, have a central role to play to shape a bright future for Europe. European companies will only be able to fulfil their role and set an example for the rest of the world if the competitiveness and economic sustainability of our system is secured.

For this Europe needs more jobs, not more legislative measures that undermine job creation. Current differences in work and living outcomes between member states mainly stem from differences in economic development and employment – not from differences in national labour market regulations or other social rights.

Labour market reforms can only be determined at national level, while forced harmonization creates harmful divisive debates and, in the end, turns people against Europe. The role of the EU should be to support Member States in their efforts to achieve employment and social objectives. National competences need to be respected.

We call on the leaders of Europe meeting in Gothenburg today to show unity, vision and leadership in view of the growing global challenges, with geopolitical instability, protectionism, populism and extremism. BusinessEurope and its member federations stand united in support for the European integration project, based on our common European values, and are ready to contribute to its continuous progress.

Statement of European social partners

Vladimíra Drbalová

Gbelec Ondřej
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section Aktuálně
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