Dear colleagues, I would like to thank all of you for having made this virtual meeting of the TSS possible in the current difficult circumstances. This is a significant opportunity for social partners to contribute to the management of the emergency, to the return to work and to the implementation of the recovery strategies. The COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences, if not properly and timely addressed, are at risk of generating economic recession, massive unemployment, deterioration of working conditions and rights, increased inequality and social exclusion.

Madam President of the Commission, Mr President of the Council, Mr Prime Minister, Honorable commissioners and ministers Dear Colleagues,

The digital transformation of the economy is a multifaceted topic with large implications for labour markets, the world of work and society at large. It is dealt with in a variety of ways by EU member states, due to different social and economic situations, labour markets and industrial relations systems and existing initiatives, practices and collective agreements.

Brussels, 19 June 2020 Adopted at the Extraordinary Executive Committee meeting of 9 June 2020 ETUC Resolution on the EU recovery strategy after the COVID-19 outbreak The context Europe is facing the worst recession since the 1930s, following the worst pandemic in the last hundred years.

Brussels, 16 June 2020 Adopted at the Extraordinary Executive Committee meeting of 9 June 

Letter sent to Mr. Thomas Myrup Kristensen, Facebook Managing Director EU Affairs, Head of Office and Mrs. Marisa Jimenez Martin, Director of Facebook Public Policy and Head of Eu Affairs Dear Ms Martin

Adopted at the Executive Committee Meeting of 9 June 2020 The social impact of the COVID-19 crisis makes it necessary to substantially amend the Commission proposal on revised Employment Guidelines

Brussels 11 June 2020 ETUC resolution on European Green Deal initiatives: Climate Law, EU Sustainable Investment Plan, Just Transition Fund Regulation and new EU Industrial Strategy Adopted at the ETUC Executive Committee of 9 June 2020 Summary of key messages

Reinforced Youth Guarantee, Revisited fight against youth unemployment  This resolution adopted by ETUC Youth on 2nd June 2020 aims at providing an analysis of the current scheme based on ETUC members’ experience as well as recommendations for further steps to reinforce the Youth Guarantee, also in the view of the new urgencies caused by the pandemic.  

Measures fall short of protecting posted workers in the outbreak of COVID-19 Posted workers in the EU face particular challenges in view of the COVID-19 outbreak and the measures imposed, not only in terms of border restrictions on the free movement of workers and services, but also in terms of emergency measures introduced to mitigate and protect workers and businesses from negative consequences of the crisis. Posted workers are at particular risk of being left behind.

On 13 May 2020, the European Commission issued a Communication on a phased and coordinated approach for restoring freedom of movement and lifting internal border controls. This guidance document is complemented by specific Guidelines on the progressive restoration of transport services and connectivity.

LGBT workers still suffer from discrimination in the world of work and in the society due to their sexual orientation. In times of Covid, as in other crises, these rights are even more under threat, due to lack of legislative protection and underrepresentation in workplaces and society in general.

Economic and social policies to date have focused excessively on fiscal discipline rather than on public investment in health and care, this crisis clearly showing that this was to the detriment of the people in general.  This fiscal discipline focused on austerity, cuts and privatisation; as a result, aging was seen as a cost on the country’s budget and financing of the health sector dwindled. ETUC has been denouncing the weakness of the health care systems in Europe for many years.