Speeches

On 1 July, the European Union Digital COVID Certificate Regulation entered into force with the aim of helping to restore freedom of movement within the EU, a severely restricted right following the declaration of the pandemic. From this date, Member States should be prepared to issue and verify the physical or electronic document proving which persons are vaccinated, have been tested or have passed the disease. The Regulation provides, however, for a period of six weeks in order to allow Member States to prepare to issue the certificates referred to in the Regulation. Twenty-one of them, as well as Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, had already started issuing certificates before 1 July, and five more started to do so from that date. However, according to data from the European Commission on 1 July, there are still six Member States without the necessary preparation for its implementation (Hungary, Ireland, Malta, the Netherlands, Romania and Sweden), which will require further efforts in this regard.

Mr President, in recent decades austerity policies, driven by the right, have eroded the European social model. The deregulation of labour markets, the reduction of pensions and wages, as well as the facilitation of unfair dismissals, have not only dented the quality of employment, but also the quality of life of people. On the right, here absent today for the most part, despite having asked for this debate, I say: understand once and for all that economic progress means investing in the social dimension to ensure fair green and digital transitions. Against conservative forces on the right, who conceive the social market economy in a liberal way, supporting free market competition even at the expense of equal opportunities, labour rights and social justice; from the Socialist Group, we will continue to work for a Europe that invests in public social protection systems, guarantees a decent wage, fair working conditions and eradicates in-work poverty. Workers have the right to good working conditions in order to preserve their mental health and lead a dignified and fulfilling life.

Mr. President, I want to emphasize once again, as many of my colleagues have done, the need to improve the working conditions of the attendees. It is true that, recently, important advances have been made, which equate their working conditions with those of other staff. However, certain injustices persist in their contracts, as has already been pointed out, such as the imminent termination by cessation of the MEP. This results in latent instability and inconsistency as to the margin of notice. This institution should set an example by offering equal rights and quality in employment. Let us not forget that the assistants are staff hired by this institution and perform key tasks for the proper functioning of this parliamentary machinery. We must take responsibility and ensure that they have greater job stability and fair and equal conditions.

Mr President, Commissioner, in view of the green and digital transitions that the labour market is undergoing, social responsibility must be a key priority to ensure fair and decent working conditions and to be consistent with the new social economy plan. Public administration cannot be the exception. Some political groups argue that efficiency and effectiveness should be the only criteria to consider when awarding public contracts. From my political group, however, we believe that efficiency and equity are not mutually exclusive concepts. Social conditionality in the award of public contracts ensures the creation of decent employment, respect for labour rights and the inclusion of disadvantaged sectors. The revision of the current Public Procurement Directive is therefore necessary to give more legal certainty to social criteria in the award of public contracts. This clause can function as an effective instrument, as already noted, to increase collective bargaining coverage in line with the European Minimum Wage Directive. Does the Commission therefore consider a revision of the current Directive? Do you plan to further strengthen the social clause of the Directive in order to ensure its enforcement? It is true that things have been done, but we need more effective things.

Mr President, Commissioner, Secretary of State, many of the difficulties young people face in developing an independent and dignified life have already been pointed out. I am going to focus only on one of them, which is access to housing, because this Parliament has already launched numerous proposals that the European Commission has not addressed. In the report adopted more than two years ago, we called, among other things, for an integrated public and affordable social housing strategy, measures for young people's access to housing through the Youth Guarantee, or the reassessment of the reference threshold for the housing overcharge rate (the current 40% does not reflect reality). Other proposals by my social democratic group were rejected by right-wing groups: prohibition of evictions, control of rental prices or measures to combat property speculation. Therefore, there is a long way to go. The European Commission has a wide margin of competence to support certain reforms, especially the definition of services of general economic interest, to bet on a universalist model of social housing, which is implemented in such a way as to avoid the segregation of younger people and guarantee them a decent and dignified quality of life.

Mr President, Commissioner, legislating the right to disconnect is not only linked to a change in the employment paradigm, but also to the protection of the mental health of workers. Control, increased workload and isolation, as well as a long list of psychosocial risks arising from a lack of disconnection, undermine our welfare state, making a dent in social security systems and causing costs not only for workers and their health, but also for employers. During this mandate, Parliament has not only defended the need to regulate the right to disconnect and telework, but has also adopted reports – such as the one on mental health in digital environments – where we demanded legislation to protect workers in a digital labour market, calling for and launching new linked initiatives to regulate artificial intelligence in the workplace context and a directive to prevent psychosocial risks at work. Commissioner, at least start with the right to disconnect and please put forward a proposal before the end of the parliamentary term. Let's not forget that technologies are born to drive progress and not to increase inequalities and contribute to job insecurity.

Madam President, Commissioner, mental health has repeatedly been the subject of analysis and debate in this House in recent years and, in particular, the increase in mental illness due to the precariousness and digitalisation of the work context. This Parliament already called on the Commission a year and a half ago, in the Report on Mental Health in a Digital World of Work, on the need to establish EU legislation to address this pandemic. There is great variability in national legislation by Member States, and it does not always work well. The European Commission has an obligation to harmonise and improve it. Beyond promoting a European directive for the prevention of psychosocial risks at work, which we consider necessary, there are other legislative texts that must also be seen in order to tackle this problem. Specifically, measures for the regulation of artificial intelligence in the workplace or a directive for the recognition of occupational mental illness. Finally, let me say that I am sure that there is a willingness on the part of the European institutions to take action on mental health. Just 15 days ago, and as a priority under the Spanish Presidency, the EPSCO Council invited the Commission to reflect on an appropriate policy to address psychosocial risks at work. The Commission, for its part, has already launched in June a communication on a comprehensive approach to mental health in which it commits to presenting an initiative at European Union level in the medium term, but without identifying any specific legislative measures. That is why we have no choice but to ask the Commission again what it expects in order to go further and promote laws that regulate, of course, teleworking and the right to disconnect in the absence of agreements between the social partners. But also the other legislative measures that we have asked for from Parliament. This would ensure that all workers in the European Union are assured of the right – recognised by the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and the European Pillar of Social Rights – to the protection of their health and safety at work. Also mental health.

Mr President, Commissioner, Minister, ladies and gentlemen, two years after the Porto Social Summit, we are faced with new challenges, but with the same debate: How to build a more social Europe? We still have a lot of work ahead of us if we want to live in a Europe where people can afford decent housing and pay the bills, a Europe where poverty is reduced and access to a quality labour market is enhanced. Once again in Porto there is another opportunity to set new objectives and design mechanisms, which must be binding, to combat this whole challenge. Because to promote inclusion and combat poverty, ensure people's well-being and create safe and well-maintained work spaces, legislation is needed. The creation of a directive on adequate minimum incomes in Europe must be a priority in this new Porto agenda, in order to meet the poverty reduction commitments already set at the last Summit, in addition to helping vulnerable groups to access good work. And, on the other hand, if wages and working conditions should be on the priority list, this includes health and, specifically, mental health. We have already discussed a great deal in this House about the need to regulate teleworking, to guarantee the right to disconnect and to curb the massive control and surveillance of workers through the misuse of artificial intelligence. All these factors, the result of digitalization, increase psychosocial risks and have a negative impact on the mental health of workers. This new road map in Porto can fill legal gaps and also advocate for directives to prevent psychosocial risks in the workplace and regulate algorithmic management and the use of artificial intelligence in the workplace. In short, we have a task ahead of us to ensure that social is the guiding principle of any policy and that it guides any transition, whether green or digital.

– Mr President, Commissioner, Minister, ladies and gentlemen, it is our duty to promote mechanisms that combat social inequalities and help people in vulnerable situations. Minimum income systems are an effective tool to fight poverty and exclusion, as well as ensuring integration and access to the labour market, provided they are adequate and well designed. This is not the case today. In addition to the large differences between Member States' minimum income schemes, many are below the national poverty line. It is clear that current national schemes have not led to sufficient upward convergence or significant poverty reduction. Therefore, as a socialist, I believe that a European directive is essential to ensure that no person in the European Union has an economic income below the national threshold at risk of poverty or social exclusion and to ensure their integration into the labour market. This directive is essential to meet the objective set at the Porto Social Summit of reducing the number of people living in poverty or social exclusion in the European Union by at least 15 million by 2030. That is why we in this Parliament also call for an assessment of the situation of poverty in the European Union in the run-up to that Porto target, and not in 2032, as proposed by the Commission in its recommendation. In short, it is time to promote binding measures and invest in the social sphere to move towards a fairer society and real and inclusive progress.

Madam President, Mr Schmit, Mrs Roswall, ladies and gentlemen, we are in a legislature that addresses unprecedented challenges, promoting initiatives that must steer towards a new European model that consolidates economic stability, progress and inclusion. It's not easy, you know. That is why we, European politicians, must bring perseverance and enthusiasm, because it is with enthusiasm and work that paradigms are changed. The current situation requires it and the urgency of action is more than evident. The Commission’s and the Council’s own Joint Employment Report on the orientation of employment and social policies in 2023 acknowledges that minimum wages decreased in all but four Member States. Working poverty in the European Union has not decreased in the last decade. The housing cost overburden rate remains above 40% for more than 8% of the population, and little progress has been made in reducing homelessness. On the other hand, social assistance, such as minimum income schemes, does not reach the necessary level of adequacy in most Member States. And they will not do so if binding measures, such as a minimum income directive, are not adopted. Partners, this European Semester must be committed to a Europe of well-being and opportunity. It should have new governance and investment instruments based on social justice to overcome any underlying socio-economic imbalances and move towards sustainable and inclusive growth and fair green and digital transitions. A European Semester that fights tax fraud and tax evasion, aims to create stable and quality jobs, contributes to reducing social inequalities and the gender gap, and strengthens wages and pensions. In short, as I pointed out earlier, an eco-social European Semester that protects people.

Madam President, Commissioner, Madam President-in-Office of the Council, we are navigating a transition. Our ship must have a social rudder to reach a good port. The European Semester that we defend this year from the European Parliament puts all its strength in ensuring that the objectives of economic growth are linked to a socio-ecological and inclusive transformation of our economies, considering all transitions at the same level and avoiding social, economic and environmental imbalances by fighting poverty, reducing inequalities and creating decent jobs, with decent wages and conditions. This is why, and also as a priority, this year's European Semester recognises the need to improve the current governance framework. Economic growth targets should be in line with the Sustainable Development Goals and the European Pillar of Social Rights. And the European governance architecture must be based on solidarity, upward social convergence, integration and investment in quality public services. European fiscal rules have a fundamental role to play for this purpose and we therefore stress that they must facilitate the public investment and financing needed to achieve the transition towards an economy that is fair to nature, but also fair to people and territories. Along these lines, and in anticipation of the deactivation of the safeguard clause, Member States will need more flexibility and the exclusion of social investments from the calculation of the excessive deficit. This would allow the most indebted Member States to adopt more flexible individual adjustment paths allowing them sufficient fiscal space to carry out the investments and reforms needed for a socially fair green and digital transitions. Budgetary consolidation will only be sustainable if the distributional impact of reallocated expenditure or changes in revenue is well calibrated and contributes to reducing socio-economic inequalities. The European Semester, as our main policy coordination tool, must enable Member States to cope with crises and prevent future shocks, not only economic but also social. Therefore, this year's report also contemplates the creation of a social convergence framework as a system to monitor the possible risks to upward social convergence and to detect potential negative consequences of other policies for the implementation of the social pillar. This convergence framework would also include concrete social objectives to be achieved. Developing instruments that self-regulate market fluctuations and ensure the sustainability and survival of our social welfare system is one of the central points of this Semester. Measures, for example, that contribute to curbing the volatility of energy prices. Therefore, we need tools to address the uneven impact of climate change and environmental degradation on different income groups, as well as the social consequences of the transformation of our societies towards climate neutrality. A social climate fund can be the start of a mechanism that lays the foundations for ecological social protection schemes at national level, with the support of the European Union to strengthen social resilience in the face of climate change and environmental degradation. In addition, as regards funds, the report envisages as a novelty a Sovereignty Fund in order to ensure, inter alia, that all Member States have the flexibility to address social, climate and environmental challenges. In addition, it is considered that any future European Union funding initiative should integrate social justice as a guiding principle. In short, an ecosocial Semester that protects people.

Madam President, Commissioner, as we debate today what measures need to be taken to curb the upward inflationary trend, there are no words that can alleviate the suffering of many people and families who must choose whether to pay for gas, electricity or food. There's no time for more words. Our reflection must be transformed into urgent action. We need permanent and binding mechanisms that self-regulate market fluctuations and ensure the sustainability and survival of our social welfare system. We must introduce a procedure for monitoring and correcting social imbalances in the Member States as part of the revision of fiscal rules; combat homelessness and cap the high price of housing costs; implement measures to ensure stable and quality jobs; and make SURE a permanent mechanism. And we need a directive on minimum incomes that will help millions of Europeans lead decent lives, get out of poverty. Because this is the key to the European social model that we must defend.

A year ago, at a joint meeting of the EMPL and ECON Committees here in Parliament, I was telling you that the Stability and Growth Pact has neither the structure nor the flexibility to deal with the crisis. At that time we were talking about the economic and social crisis of the pandemic. Now we have to add the war one. I think it is really time to move towards a new governance model that puts social rights on the same level as economic and environmental rights. It has been stressed here – from most political groups – and asked about the golden rule. It is true that we need to move forward – and you have raised this – gradually and individually for each Member State. But we have to get to that point of no return. We cannot slow down the process of a temporary transition and temporary measures to get back to the same point.

Mr President, Commissioner, Mr President-in-Office of the Council, although economic crises and even war conflicts are lethal to humanity, they are always opportunities for public policy and for our European institutions. It is time to take care of our health, of the mental health of European citizens. The final report of the Conference on the Future of Europe included the need for a long-term European mental health strategy. And in my group – the S&D Group – we have been asking for it for some time: a strategy that includes mental health in all policies – education, environmental, employment – and, of course, ensures universal access to quality mental health services. A European strategy that includes not only recommendations to Member States, but legislates where it is possible to legislate, such as on occupational health and safety. This Parliament has already called for: We need a directive on psychosocial risks at work, the recognition of certain mental disorders as occupational diseases, the regulation, of course, of teleworking and the right to disconnect, and a directive on the application of artificial intelligence to the work context. Therefore, we can and must do much more.

Madam President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, we cannot continue to close our eyes to the fact that some Roma communities remain marginalised and live in the most extreme poverty and social exclusion. Their situation will worsen as a result of rising inflation and energy prices, which will particularly affect the most vulnerable people. We already need a European action plan to eradicate Roma settlements, which not only lack decent housing, but also do not offer access to basic services, health, health or education, not to mention employment, social inclusion or even the environmental health risks present in these settlements. Coordinated action is needed at European Union level, in close cooperation with local and regional authorities. The efforts made so far by the Member States are not sufficient. EU funds are often not used to eradicate Roma poverty and social exclusion due to lack of political will, administrative barriers or even indirect, structural or cross-sectoral discrimination. The Commission and the Council need to take a more active stance. We must do everything possible to prevent the violation of European law, the founding values of the Union and the rights of individuals. That is why my group has called for the establishment of an early warning mechanism to report on the risks of abuse or misuse of EU funds aimed at addressing the situation of Roma in marginal settlements. On the other hand, and with this I conclude, the eradication of the situation of deprivation in which many Roma communities live must be framed within an anti-poverty strategy that my group urgently demands, with adequate investment to combat and eradicate poverty effectively through the urgent implementation of the Minimum Wage Directive, the increase of the budget for the European Child Guarantee, the intensification of efforts in minimum income plans and the support of the European Union for adequate housing.

Mr President, Commissioner, unfortunately we had to go through an unprecedented health crisis to realise a problem that had been brewing in Europe for some time. Another type of pandemic, more silent, that affects the mental health of people, especially more vulnerable groups, such as women and young people, and that is directly related to precariousness at work, job instability and digitalisation. When we talk about the digital transition, we also have to talk about the consequences of the misuse of artificial intelligence systems and automation on the health and safety of workers, including their mental health. Massive monitoring and surveillance, the increase in hours worked, the lack of clarity and transparency in employment relationships, the absence of separation between work and private life or the clear violation of privacy rights are just some of the examples that increase psychosocial risks and have a negative impact on the mental health of workers, but also on society in general, due to the high cost of public spending they cause and an increased risk of social exclusion and poverty in the medium term. It is for these psychosocial risks for whose prevention and management we have long demanded a directive, as well as the recognition that certain mental disorders, such as anxiety, depression and burnout, are associated with working conditions and should be recognised as occupational diseases. It's time to act. I am sure, Commissioner, that you share the view that it is necessary to legislate and ensure that the employer takes responsibility for protecting the mental health of workers. The agreement reached last week on teleworking and the right to disconnect is a step forward. We hope that the signatories will rise to the occasion and that we will soon find new regulatory frameworks on artificial intelligence in the workplace and on the prevention and management of psychosocial risks.

Mr President, Commissioner, the Roma people – ‘Gypsies’ in my country, Spain – are one of the most disadvantaged communities in Europe. Their access to public housing and education services is very limited and there is a clear and pernicious interrelation between the two deficits. A child living in an overcrowded, poverty-stricken home will need 4.5 generations to reach the average income level of their context. This problem of lack of social lift is much more serious for Roma children, because 85% of them are at risk of poverty, compared to 24% of other European children. And school dropout is very high in this community. In Spain, for example, 80% of Roma students drop out of school. It is clear that the miserable environment of settlements and under-housing discourages school participation. That is why we must start from the bottom, with children, guaranteeing them access to decent housing, which is a necessary condition for the promotion and social integration of anyone. It is necessary to respond to the situation of inequality and discrimination in access to housing that the Roma community lives with respect to the rest of the population. This Parliament already made that clear last year, when it adopted the report on housing. Access to decent housing must be ensured, leading to inclusive and sustainable urbanisation, involving Roma at all stages of planning. Access to basic water and sanitation services must also be ensured in existing settlements. The EU Roma Strategic Framework sets out a number of targets to be achieved by 2030 and provides guidance to EU Member States on how to do so. But we need to mobilise more resources from the European Social Fund Plus and invest in these communities. In this regard, the Child Guarantee should play a crucial role.

Mr President, Commissioner, today we are witnessing a transformation of industrial relations due to the impact of factors such as digitalisation. It is clear that the pandemic has only highlighted and increased the risks of a phenomenon that has been developing for a long time: the birth of a new social, digital, market economy that has a direct impact on working conditions and therefore on the safety and health of workers, including mental health. The use and application of new advanced artificial intelligence systems, such as algorithms, have led to precarious working conditions, in part due to the lack of regulation to date. The increased control and monitoring of hours worked, the lack of social interaction and separation between private and professional life are just some of the many aspects that show the pressure exerted on the worker and the risk that this poses to mental health. The new European OSH framework needs to be adapted to this reality and current challenges, and this also translates into the need to establish binding legal mechanisms for the prevention of psychosocial risks and to regulate the use of artificial intelligence in workplaces. Also to exercise the right to disconnect and establish minimum requirements for fair and equal teleworking conditions. Depression, stress, anxiety, burnout, pathologies well known to all, as the Commissioner has pointed out, present every day in our work environment as a new form of pandemic and, however, not recognized as occupational diseases. Socialists are committed to ensuring that we move towards a just modernity and social welfare. This includes protecting workers from risks arising from hyperconnectivity, macro-surveillance, control and discrimination or automated digital decisions. Innovation and progress were not conceived as synonymous with exploitation and job insecurity. The report we are debating here today on a new strategic framework for health and safety at work is key to ensuring that all workers in Europe enjoy the necessary protection and dignity in the workplace.

Madam President, Commissioners, comrades, comrades, we socialists want a just recovery of progress and social welfare in Europe. These are the principles that we carry by flag. The European Semester, as a mechanism for coordinating economic and employment policies, plays a key role in dealing with the current difficult situation in Europe and in being able to cope with the socio-economic costs of this terrible war brutally imposed by Russia. We must certainly welcome and help all the victims of the invasion in Ukraine, guided by the solidarity that precedes us as a Union. But, in addition, we must redouble our efforts to prevent the increase of inequalities and poverty within our borders, through measures of redistribution of wealth and a strong investment in our social welfare systems. And this must be done with the support of European resources. Leaving behind austerity-based fiscal policies is no longer an option: is a necessity in order to ensure decent living conditions and sustainable development and social progress. And not just for big corporations: for everyone. We Socialists therefore believe that the European Semester should have a strong social dimension that gives social objectives the same importance as digital or environmental objectives. And also in terms of investment. A European Semester ensuring coherence between the country-specific recommendations and the objectives of the Recovery and Resilience Facility Regulation, including an increased number of social indicators as part of the policy coordination framework. We also advocate modernising the current Stability and Growth Pact, prolonging the general escape clause in order to facilitate public investment and achieve economic governance based on solidarity, social justice and social welfare for all European citizens.

Mr President, there has been a lot of talk in recent years about the need to move towards a sustainable and inclusive transition in Europe, but we continue to see multinationals relocating and deindustrialising, impoverishing entire regions after having taken advantage of public aid for years: this is not fair sustainability. To fight inequalities and tackle an unfair economic model, we must ensure greater participation of workers in their organisations and strengthen democracy at work: this will ensure profitable enterprises and a return on investment and public support in the form of higher wages and better working conditions. This report is therefore key to ensuring that workers' rights are respected in restructuring processes, to combating instability in the labour market and to ending existing cases of exploitation and abuse. We need a legislative framework on information, consultation and participation in the workplace that strengthens social dialogue and brings us closer to the target of collective bargaining coverage of up to 90% by 2030; to ensure employee participation on boards while respecting parity, and to ensure that the use of artificial intelligence in workplaces is done in an agreed manner with trade unions and to ensure that the benefits of increased productivity are shared fairly. To achieve truly sustainable development and social progress, social actors, political parties and civil society, we need to stand together and defend solidarity at work: guaranteeing the right to information and consultation of employees, giving them a voice, is essential to build a fair, equal and just economic model. The rights of workers to organise, to be represented, to freedom of assembly and association and to collectively call for reforms in their workplaces are fundamental aspects of the European project and basic principles of a social model that we must defend and strengthen now and in the future.

Mr President, Commissioner, the introduction of a European Social Security Card will help to ensure decent working conditions, due to the standardisation of social security benefits and increased traceability, aggregation and portability of rights. The Socialist Group has been calling for years for the implementation of this common instrument as a measure to combat fraud and cases of abuse affecting both social security and workers themselves. Persons exposed to intolerable situations of labour exploitation due to fraudulent practices by intermediary operators; operators who recruit workers in one country to take them to another, where they will work under very different working conditions to those pre-agreed. This was the case for Spanish workers in the Netherlands, totally unprotected during the pandemic, crammed into unhealthy accommodation and without access to minimum health and safety benefits. It is up to us, here and now, to put an end to these malpractices of subcontracting and abuse and improve the coordination of social security systems.

Madam President, Commissioner, this House has already recognised in several resolutions that housing is a fundamental right: affordable and decent housing, with access to basic energy services, in line with the social pillar and the Sustainable Development Goals. However, millions of people in the European Union suffer from energy poverty and, meanwhile, the gas and energy market is one of the most profitable sectors in the world, with gross profits and exorbitant prices. It is necessary to regulate the oligopoly of electricity and intervene if necessary, as it is an essential public service. To this end, we need Community solutions that revise the design of energy markets and oblige Member States to implement protective measures for vulnerable groups: more social tariffs, more energy efficient housing and no more disconnections. We already need a comprehensive strategy to eradicate energy poverty. While we are here debating proposals, many people are cold in their homes and many children are trying to do homework without light.

Madam President, Commissioner, digitalisation and the application of artificial intelligence in the workplace are generating new models that lead to clear precarisation, hyperconnection, control and surveillance or algorithmic decisions without human supervision. The implications at the level of mental health and emotional well-being of workers are already evident, and we already need new legislation: a directive to prevent psychosocial risks in the workplace and a directive regulating the use of artificial intelligence in the workplace. To do this, the Commission must listen and meet with all parties, companies and trade unions, because workers do not need psychologists, but decent working conditions, safe and quality work. The digitalisation of the employment context cannot be a purely technological process; It must be a socio-technical process, where technology and humanism go hand in hand.