Debate contributions by Estelle CEULEMANS

Madam President, today the European Council is meeting with competitiveness and simplification at the top of its agenda. So let's be clear, no one likes bureaucracy and opposes healthy simplification. But what is going on in Europe is something quite different, with deregulation in Far West mode, with the aim of destroying important social and environmental regulations, standards that are nevertheless essential to counteract the negative effects at all on the market. Mrs von der Leyen, this deregulation that you advocate is a threat to Europe. It feeds anti-European sentiment and makes the bed of the far right. What workers and citizens want is a Europe that looks after the collective interest and not for the benefit of multinationals; a Europe that protects, with quality jobs and decent wages; an economy at the service of humans and not the other way around. It is our internal security and our security of existence that are at stake. That is why today I will vote against the sacking of the duty of vigilance and therefore for a Europe that respects human and social rights.

Mr President, due to geopolitical developments and global tensions, social justice is now largely under the radar, including at European level. This is a very serious mistake. Although I cannot understand Qatar’s choice to host the second summit for social development, because the least we can say is that it is not a model in this area, nor in that of respect for human rights, it is nevertheless very important to adopt an ambitious European position. Moreover, this position must not be limited to intentions, but must serve as a springboard for concrete actions for people rather than for money or profit, for rights rather than for the exploitation of workers; actions that nurture solidarity rather than inequality. Because inequality impoverishes and insecures us a little more every day, all of us. An ambitious position of the European Parliament is a position that, on the one hand, recalls our fundamentals, because our values are not negotiable and, on the other hand, charts the horizon for the future. Thus, the text that I call for support tomorrow emphasises the need for a just transition as an opportunity to create sustainable and quality jobs. It also requires Member States to invest in public services that reduce social inequalities and contribute to the fight against poverty. It also calls on the Member States to mainstream gender equality in all areas. Finally, the resolution stresses the need to frame artificial intelligence in the workplace and algorithmic management, and to ensure a real right to disconnect, as there will be no strong and resilient Europe without a social Europe.

Madam President, in 2024, Audi Brussels workers were informed of the relocation of their company's production by a newspaper specialising in cars, which one year later led to the closure of the site and the elimination of some 6 000 direct and indirect jobs. Such a process is intolerable. There is therefore an urgent need to strengthen the European Works Councils Directive. That is why the text put to the vote is essential, not only because it concerns more than 5 million workers and 320 multinationals, but above all because it strengthens information and consultation obligations and therefore democracy within companies. Moreover, confidentiality can no longer be invoked blindly to block access to information, and the text also provides for the presence of a minimum of 40% of women on these company boards. The proposed revision therefore demonstrates that legislation can be simplified while strengthening workers' rights rather than deregulating them.

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, whether they are minors or adults, people with disabilities, dependants, people with mental health problems, everywhere in Europe, are either left to their fate – and then, often, at the expense of those around them, and especially the women around them, who suffer just as much from the dependence, precariousness and isolation of these people – or forced to live in institutions, sometimes inhumane conditions, without respect for their most fundamental rights. However, there are ways to overcome this abandonment as well as confinement: structures that are less costly for society, but above all respect their autonomy and rights. Structures on a human scale, adapted to their needs. It is therefore urgent to take measures that support and invest in such structures, be they public or social economy, so that fragile and dependent people are no longer hidden or treated as burdens, so that they are no longer victims of juicy exploitation by unscrupulous companies, and so that those around them no longer have to pay the price for their situation. This requires a paradigm shift away from treating disability, addiction or mental health as issues that need to be managed at a lower cost and away from the eye. On the contrary, we must invest in the well-being of all and therefore put an end to austerity policies, which are a serious attack on health, dignity and social justice.

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, stress, burn-out, harassment: mental health problems explode in a context of intensification, pressure at work, connected work or loss of meaning. According to the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, 50% of workers are under heavy pressure or overwork. It is therefore essential to counter this phenomenon, which leads to real personal and family tragedies every day. However, the fight against these psychosocial risks benefits everyone, both the worker, who can then perform tasks in which he recognizes himself, and the employer, who will appreciate quality work, and it will also help to avoid shortages in many sectors. With regard to psychosocial risks, prevention is essential, as is social dialogue on working conditions and its organisation. However, not all workers are equal. The hardship of women's employment is still too often ignored and overlooked. In Belgium, women account for two thirds of all cases of disability due to burnout or depression. It is for all these reasons that I will table a legislative own-initiative report that should contribute to improving well-being and mental health at work, especially for the most vulnerable. This report should lead to a directive and binding rules on the part of the Commission. They must be taken at European level so that all workers are protected everywhere in the same way, all the more so in a context of a single market in which we know all the drifts. There is an urgent need to tackle this shadow share of the labour market.

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, the future budget will reflect Europe's ambition and, as such, I refuse to shout with the right and oppose defence and social Europe, because we can respond to these two challenges. For this, it is essential to look for new resources, especially on the side of the widest shoulders. Yes, solidarity is a sine qua non of our external security, but also of our social security. Let us not lie to citizens by making them believe that a defence policy will save them from everything; a lack of investment in our social and cohesion policies would increase inequalities and create unsustainable insecurity within our societies. Let us not make this gift to the vampires of human misery, the parties of the extreme right, who feed on the feeling of abandonment. Let us strengthen our defence, of course, but let us also respond to the concerns of citizens and workers. They have the right to high-quality, well-paying employment, decent pensions and accessible health care and housing. Europe has no future without a social Europe, because without a social Europe there is no security for citizens.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, between 27 and 36 million people are diagnosed with a rare disease in the European Union. A figure largely underestimated. Even when they are diagnosed, it is a real journey of the fighter for these patients and for their loved ones, because few treatments are adapted or accessible financially. The research and development of suitable medicines and treatments is not of interest to the pharmaceutical industries as they are not considered profitable, leading to high social and health inequalities or even a lethal risk for patients. This is totally unacceptable! Finally, there is an urgent need for the Commission to propose a clear action plan for rare diseases, making research and development of innovative and adapted therapies a priority of European pharmaceutical policy and including the creation of a European financial solidarity instrument to ensure access to appropriate treatments. Solidarity with patients suffering from a rare disease is also the whole meaning and strength of our European project.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, if Europe is rethinking its external defence, it cannot ignore its internal security, i.e. social cohesion. Today, however, we are witnessing a regular, almost systematic attack on social policies, the reason given being competitiveness. There is, however, urgency. Europeans are suffering the full brunt of job insecurity and social inequality. We are experiencing an unprecedented cost-of-living crisis. Prices of food, healthcare and housing are skyrocketing. Around 100 million Europeans live in poverty, especially young people and women. Millions of workers are unable to make ends meet as a result of 40 years of wage austerity. The European Union must take its responsibilities and provide for binding social regulations to protect wages, social dialogue, working conditions and our social security systems. We call on the Commission to strengthen the European Social Fund Plus for the next multiannual financial frameworks. There will be no prosperous Europe without stronger social rights, because without strong social protection Europe is faltering.

Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, it seems that the current discussions on the future of cohesion policy are once again an opportunity for some to try to weaken European social policies. Cohesion policy accounts for one third of the EU budget. It is the main long-term investment policy and focuses on social, economic and territorial investments. It is enshrined in the Treaties to reduce inequalities between regions while creating solidarity between territories. It is not intended to be a crisis management instrument. Its objective is not to respond to cyclical emergencies, let alone to cover investment needs for the defence industry, for which other means must be sought – especially since the future Multiannual Financial Framework must absolutely set aside budgets for a genuine implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights and the European Social Fund Plus must remain a strong and autonomous instrument to strengthen the social dimension of the European Union.

Madam President, Executive Vice-President, ladies and gentlemen, more than ever, Europe is facing major transformations, not only in industrial activity, but also in many sectors such as distribution, energy and transport. There are challenges related to the climate and digital transitions. This is why it is essential to commit to better preventing and supporting restructuring. Too often, companies decide the fate of thousands of people, without respect for social dialogue, to meet the appetite of their shareholders. Workers are not disposable handkerchiefs or spare parts. Failing to accompany changes is also economically damaging, as it risks leading to the loss of skilled labour, which companies desperately need. Tomorrow a resolution will be adopted here in this Parliament. This resolution calls for a clear framework for restructuring, in order to maintain and save jobs as much as possible (in particular through retraining mechanisms in the same sectors or in the regions), to ensure the sustainability of the SURE programme, to guarantee genuine social dialogue, to prohibit unfair dismissals and to ensure better support for subcontracted workers, often directly affected. The resolution also stresses the need for an ambitious industrial and economic policy at European level by proposing the creation of a permanent investment tool and a revision of the Public Procurement Directive, to finally favour companies that respect social and environmental rights. Thus, this resolution sets out a framework that is essential for the relaunch of European competitiveness, yet which is under attack from the employers’ lobby, but unfortunately also from the far right, which not only rejects a directive on the just transition, but also rejects the role of trade unions in the restructuring process. This dogmatic position is astonishing, even more than surprising. Social dialogue, the protection and training of workers are a force, not a brake. It is time to act for a just transition, for economic and industrial policies that benefit all, not just a few.

Mr President, Executive Vice-President, ladies and gentlemen, today in Europe, one third of the working population, or 75 million people, has only a low or no level of qualifications. At the same time, 15% of young people leave school without a diploma. Yet the necessary reindustrialisation of Europe and the digital and climate transition require new and adapted skills. That is why we in the S&D Group are calling for a genuine right to training, paid during working hours, for workers. Encouraging training is not enough; this right must be guaranteed. We would also like to recall that while 50% of employers in stressed sectors struggle to recruit, this is not just a skills issue. Working conditions are essential, especially for young people, and they need to be improved. The Union of Competences presented by the Commission is ambitious, but it remains a declaration of intent. It must be put into practice and become a lever for social and economic progress. Otherwise, without a strong and clear commitment, it will remain an empty shell.

Mr President, at the end of January, the President of the Commission presented her compass for competitiveness, but we are not honoured to be here today to discuss it with us. Yes, that's good. If the European Union is at a crossroads in many respects, including the need to rebuild strategic autonomy on the industrial, digital or energy level, the project on the table is more than worrying, with the return of the dogma of competitiveness as an end in itself. The simplification aspect, in particular, points to significant social and environmental setbacks. Indeed, we are talking about deregulation. However, the European Union will not return to the highest level of the world's great powers without workers. Mme von der Leyen, Commissioner, do not give the image of a Javier Milei or an Elon Musk brandishing chainsaws or dynamite sticks to destroy public services and fundamental social rights. Do not lose sight of the fact that the well-being, quality of life and prosperity of Europeans are your cardinal points. Don't go wrong, put the economy back at the service of the human being and not the other way around.

Mr. Speaker, is collaboration between the Conservative parties and the far right a threat to competitiveness? Yes, of course. But above all, this collaboration is a danger to our democracies and our fundamental values. It is therefore essential to maintain the cordon sanitaire. If the extreme right today tries to be frequentable, its DNA has not changed. It remains fundamentally racist, sexist and authoritarian. These parties deceive their voters, exacerbating the anxiety of those who, in a world that has become complex, fear social, economic or cultural downgrading. But they never, but never, provide any answer to these legitimate fears, quite the contrary. These parties feed on the hatred of the other, of the foreigner. But beware, as history and current events show us, we are all potentially this other and this stranger. Collaborating with them is therefore an unacceptable compromise, just as it is dangerous to follow in the footsteps of their speeches and ideas, as unfortunately we have still heard today, because we always prefer the original to the copy. It is our responsibility to provide concrete answers to citizens' concerns, in particular on...

Mr President, Commissioner, five years ago Europe and the world were facing the worst health crisis since the end of the Second World War. During this time, we have all experienced intimately how much health is our most precious asset and how essential our health systems are not only for society as a whole, but also economically. Workers in this sector, who are mostly female workers, were then recognized as essential and applauded. Despite years of massive divestment, they have allowed our countries to hold on, in defiance of their own security. We all said then: "Never again." But our memory is short-term. Today, although Europe is facing other geopolitical, economic and demographic challenges, there can be no question of forgetting health-related emergencies, one of the first challenges of which is the shortage of staff. Some regions or cities are even becoming medical deserts. There is an urgent need to invest in health services, not only in terms of medical treatments and techniques, but especially in staff. The working conditions of this staff must be improved by ensuring that they are adequate, which is also the first condition for the well-being of patients, but also by adopting a directive on the prevention of psychosocial risks in order to improve overall mental health at work. In health too, human imperatives must take precedence over economic and budgetary issues. It's our responsibility. Otherwise, we will be held accountable when the next health crisis occurs.

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, in 2023, almost 30% of adults in Europe, or more than 100 million people, had some form of disability. It is essential to recall that, like all Europeans, these people with disabilities have the right to participate in all areas of life and to be autonomous. And the right to have a job, for those who have the opportunity, is obviously essential in this access to autonomy. At present, only one in two people with disabilities has a job in Europe. Thus, one in two, including a majority of women, does not have one. And for those lucky enough to have access to employment, many are unfortunately paid less than able-bodied workers, or even do not receive a salary, and many have only a short-term job, fail to reach a position of responsibility or face discrimination in the workplace. This is unacceptable in today's Europe! The factors that hinder access to employment for people with disabilities are numerous and known: unsuitable places or workstations, obstacles to mobility, or even a lack of suitable mobility, as well as stigma and resistance to working with a person with a disability. The Commission has adopted a Disability Strategy for 2021-2030, including an Access to Employment Package. But unfortunately, this strategy is struggling to produce its effects. That is why today we are making a strong call on the Commission to strengthen this strategy. We ourselves, in the Committee on Employment, are going to do this because it is important, in particular, to provide the necessary budgets to allow for the adaptation of workstations, but also for adapted mobility. Moreover, it is essential to ensure real diversity in all employment and it may be necessary to consider clear and quantified commitments in relation to recruitment, not only in administrations, private companies and the social economy, but also, why not, within our own European institutions, because guaranteeing fair, full and complete access to employment is a matter of dignity that concerns us all.

Mr President, Mrs Mînzatu, ladies and gentlemen, in 2024, in Italy, an Indian agricultural worker, an undocumented worker, died with his arm severed as a result of an accident at work. In 2023, in Sweden, five workers died in the fall of an elevator on a construction site under construction. Four days after the accident, the contractor still could not say whether they were his employees. In 2022, in Antwerp, Belgium, 174 victims of human trafficking were discovered on a construction site. Unfortunately, this funeral list is not exhaustive. The use of subcontracting is not a problem per se, and it is a widespread phenomenon in many labour-intensive sectors, such as construction, transport, cleaning and agriculture. But where this practice is problematic is when it is aimed solely at reducing costs to the detriment of workers’ working, income and safety conditions. Not to mention the cases where subcontracting chains conceal fraud, exploitation and trafficking in human beings. Given the complexity of certain arrangements, even the most efficient inspection services are in difficulty. This reality is unworthy of the European Union. This Parliament and the Commission must put in place legislation to limit subcontracting chains to a maximum of two or three levels, to impose joint and several liability throughout the subcontracting chain, to regulate intermediaries and to strengthen the capacity of inspection services and sanctions. If positive examples have been set up in some Member States in response to dramatic or scandalous situations, this must be possible throughout the European Union.

Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, as the President of Georgia reminded us again this morning, the repression of social movements is the prerogative of authoritarian regimes, and trade union and democratic rights at work are no exception. However, the rights of association, information, consultation and strike are fundamental rights, enshrined at international and European level. This is in principle because, in practice, there are more and more attacks on trade union freedoms or the right to strike – in Finland, for example, where the right to strike has just been extremely limited, or in Belgium, where criminal provisions, including the ‘bad obstacle to movement’, are applied to sentence trade unionists to prison sentences. However, workers and trade unionists use the right to strike or demonstrate only when necessary, in particular if collective bargaining is not respected or when multinational companies such as Tesla or Amazon attack workers’ rights and resort to anti-union practices. However, collective bargaining is essential. It is even in the interest of businesses, as it ensures not only a serene social climate, but also productivity gains, as well as better health and safety at work. The EU must continue to defend and promote democracy at work, building on the Minimum Wage Directive, which sets clear targets for collective bargaining coverage. The Commission must ensure that this Directive is transposed as soon as possible in all Member States. For the future, there is an urgent need for a Just Transition Directive, which ensures the involvement of social partners and a policy of anticipating change and protecting jobs.

Madam President, the impact of natural disasters is increasingly dramatic in Europe and around the world: recently in Spain, in the Valencia region, now in Mayotte, but also in 2021 in my country, Belgium. More and more, too many deaths, lives destroyed and terrible devastation caused by extreme weather events are to be deplored. These dramatic situations require urgent responses in terms of material and food aid, social and health support and reconstruction of destroyed infrastructure and equipment. This requires a reactive European solidarity mechanism to intervene urgently and help affected regions and populations. That is why we will support the new Restore scheme, which will be voted on here in this Parliament. But – there is also a ‘but’ – it will be necessary in the future to have permanent and specific means to deal with these crises, instead of going to the Structural Funds. It will also be necessary to pursue truly ambitious policies to combat climate change, despite the repeated sceptical and denier statements of the far right, even today.

Madam President, 35 years ago, the Convention on the Rights of the Child was the first international instrument to recognise children as individuals with fundamental rights. Yet today in Europe, one in four children or young people live in poverty or social exclusion and the mental health problems of young people are more worrying than ever. Three years ago, the European Union adopted a European Child Guarantee, the aim of which is to guarantee children in need effective access to rights, such as free childcare, free schooling – including a healthy meal per school day – but also to guarantee them free healthcare, healthy food and adequate housing. While these commitments are clear, the road to achieving them unfortunately still seems long. This is not acceptable in a society like ours. The new youth commissioner will therefore have a lot of work to do, but he can count on us, because every child counts and has the right to live a dignified and happy childhood and to build a future for himself, far from the ideologies, sexism and racism that we have heard today on the benches of the far right.

Madam President, in 2023, more than 10% of Europeans said they were unable to heat their homes sufficiently. And this energy poverty is increasing, which is unacceptable, because energy is an essential good whose access must be guaranteed. The causes of this precariousness are diverse, but this should not prevent us from being willing and ambitious to act on these different causes. First, by ensuring sufficient funding from the Social Climate Fund, whose means must be easily accessible to low- and middle-income households to enable them to isolate their homes. Secondly, by radically changing the framework for setting energy prices, especially in the current context of geopolitical uncertainties and price volatility. As advocated in the Draghi report, it is time to decouple gas and renewable energy prices, while putting in place specific pricing policies for the most vulnerable. Finally, there is an urgent need for the new Commission to propose an anti-poverty plan that includes a specific strand and concrete actions to end energy poverty.

Mr President, it is clear that strong commitments need to be made to improve skills and training, which are key components to address the challenges of the climate and digital transitions, but also to address the challenge of job shortages in certain sectors, such as care, healthcare and education. But it is important to stress that this issue is mainly linked to the quality of employment in these so-called shortage sectors. First, wages are often too low. We must therefore ensure that they are raised. But working conditions are also problematic. It is therefore necessary to work together to better address topics such as psychosocial risks, overwork, teleworking and the right to disconnect. Finally, there remains the question of reconciling private and professional life. This is crucial for better integrating women into the labour market, and it is also crucial for young people. Moreover, it is essential to recognise the role of the social partners, who are the only ones who really know the needs of workers and the realities of the world of work, and therefore can respond to these training challenges.

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, the European steel sector is experiencing a new crisis, which is likely to be even more tragic than the previous ones. In one year, steel production in the European Union fell by 30 million tonnes. Thousands of workers are temporarily unemployed, and since 2008 almost 100 000 direct jobs – and arguably as many indirect jobs – have disappeared in this sector. The threat of losing 50% of our production capacity is real, while global overcapacity continues to explode. Indeed, while Europe is closing its sites, China and India are increasing their production with state aid, to the detriment of social and environmental conditions. There is therefore an urgent need for a European action plan to produce greener steel here in Europe, as steel will be strategic for a just climate transition. We must protect quality industrial jobs and ensure that steel companies respect their workers. The steel production we are losing in Europe today will not come back. We must act now to save European steel.

Madam President, Mr Letta, Commissioners, ladies and gentlemen, it is also worth recalling that Mr Letta's report will be -me von der Leyen herself said so – one of the red threads of the next Commission. So it was really important that you came and presented it to us and that we could discuss it today. Thank you, Mr Letta, for taking up the words of Jacques Delors, architect of the single market, who tells us that the market is not an end in itself: it is there to improve the lives of citizens, who are not just consumers. The single market has indeed helped to develop prosperity and competitiveness, but it has also increased disparities and poverty – as was said in the previous debate, which reminds us that, unfortunately, 1 in 5 Europeans faces a risk of poverty. Thank you, therefore, Mr Letta, for reminding us that the market can only function on the basis of strong social policies, and also for reminding us that, under this legislature, we must invest in both transitions, so that they are fair. I would also like to recall that we expect the next Commission to engage, as Mr Nicolas Schmit did, on important social issues.