Liberals are ready to protect those facing rapid economic change with aims to secure workers' rights while boosting Europe's productivity.
This week, Europe’s liberal employment and social affairs ministers met for the first time ahead of the Employment & Social Affairs Council (EPSCO).
Ministers Dara Calleary, Minister for Social Protection and for Rural, Community Development & the Gaeltacht (Fianna Fáil, IE), Mariëlle Paul, Minister of Social Affairs and Employment (VVD, NL) and Johan Britz, Minister of Employment (Liberalerna, SE) joined forces to exchange insights on key labour and social challenges across the EU.
Ministers focused on four priorities for EPSCO: workplace safety, skills and retraining, labour mobility and housing measures.
Europe’s competitiveness depends on adapting workplaces for the digital and sustainable transitions while safeguarding worker wellbeing. Investing in skills and in digital and sustainable technologies will secure quality jobs, reduce strategic dependencies and maintain Europe’s innovation edge. At the same time, businesses must be supported without being held back by red tape or fragmented rules.
A strong labour market is one where citizens can seize new opportunities with confidence. Ensuring access to training and the ability to move for work is key, supported by housing policies that keep regions connected and economically resilient. Enabling businesses to innovate, liberals believe Europe can remain open and competitive for everyone.
The meeting concluded that reforms must balance protection and competitiveness. Policies should enable businesses to adopt new technology while guaranteeing minimum standards and support for workers during transition.
The milestone meeting demonstrated that cross-border liberal cooperation can deliver practical solutions to shared economic and social pressures. By coordinating ahead of EPSCO, liberal ministers are in a strong position to shape policies that build a forward-looking labour market and support workers through economic change.
Check out photos from the meeting here.