5 September 2025
On 1 September 2025, the European Economic and Social Committee organised a high-level hearing on the forthcoming Action Plan for the European Pillar of Social Rights. The event, chaired by the Workers’ Group, featured a keynote address by Executive Vice-President Roxana Minzatu, the presentation of the Panteia study on the state of play of the previous action plan in 2024, and a panel debate with representatives from the European Commission, the European Parliament, ETUC, BusinessEurope, SGI Europe and the EESC.
Executive Vice-President Minzatu underlined the Commission’s intention to build on the 2021 Action Plan while recognising that the Porto 2030 targets remain off track, especially for poverty reduction and adult training. The Panteia study confirmed that while most initiatives have been launched, implementation remains uneven.
SSGI Europe stressed that the new Action Plan must prioritise delivery and coherence over new legislation. He highlighted that Chapter III of the Pillar, on social protection and inclusion, has been the weakest in implementation, with persistent territorial inequalities in housing, healthcare and long-term care. Drawing on SGI Europe’s A.C.C.E.S. project results, he called for a dedicated Action Plan for Services of General Interest, improved coordination across levels of government, more substantial investment in workforce skills, and standard affordability metrics. He also urged the Commission to use the MFF and the European Semester more strategically, with local and regional ownership, and to move from consultation to co-implementation with social partners.
Contact: Guillaume Afellat
On Wednesday, 3 September, the Energy Task Force, led by the chair Elmar Thyen, held an extra meeting to address the crucial issue of Europe’s energy independence and address burdens and the meanings of energy affordability. The task force welcomed guest speaker Mrs. Ana Maria Sanchez Infante, Team Leader in the unit for relations with Member States and the Energy Community (ENER.TF.2) at DG ENER, to report on the European Commission's recently published roadmap to End the import of energy products from Russia to Europe under the REPowerEU plan.
Mrs. Garcia Mezquita began her presentation by outlining the roadmap's structural plans to end the import of Russian energy products, which aim to secure the EU’s complete energy independence. She reported that while significant progress has been made, a rebound in Russian gas imports in 2024 underscores the need for more coordinated actions. To monitor this progress, Member States are asked to submit their annual state of play.
This two-hour meeting fostered a fruitful discussion among the members, followed by a productive Q&A session. The insights and expertise shared during this vital exchange will directly inform the task force’s ongoing work on its upcoming reaction paper on "Affordability in the energy sector." The collaborative effort will help shape recommendations to ensure that the transition toward energy independence and decarbonised and renewable energy is both practical and fair for all European citizens and SGIs.
Contact: Henriette Gleau
On 2 September 2025, SGI Europe representatives participated in the concluding Academic and Social Partners’ Experts (ASPE) Group meeting of the ShaPE project organised at the Maison Jean Monnet in Bazoches-sur-Guyonne, in the surroundings of Paris.
During the one-day event, EU-level social partners, academics, research partners and institutional representatives validated the report "The Role of the EU in Shaping Work Representation to Meet New Challenges and Reinforce Social Dialogue" and charted proposals for the future of social dialogue in Europe.
Following a presentation of the report from the drafting team, participants validated recommendations to revise the social provisions of the EU Treaties. They engaged in constructive debate on these foundational proposals. In the afternoon, stakeholders were involved in discussions on the project’s purpose, findings and Treaty‑revision proposals. In the institutional round-table discussion, SGI Europe emphasised the added value of the report’s concrete suggestions. It emphasised the urgent need to strengthen social dialogue across Europe, highlighting that only through stronger legal recognition, simplified frameworks, and transnational cooperation can social partners effectively address complex transitions, such as the digital, green, and demographic shifts.
This meeting marked a key milestone in the implementation of the ShaPE project, which built on an innovative historical investigation of the role of social partners in EU treaty- and law-making. It reinforced the voice of social partners in shaping Social Europe. SGI Europe looks forward to continuing this momentum at the final project conference that will be held at the European Parliament in Brussels on 9 December 2025.
Contact: Cecilia Martin
On Friday 29 August 2025, the 25th Franco-German Council of Ministers took place, presided over by the French President, Emmanuel Macron, and the German Chancellor, Friedrich Merz. The meeting marked a turning point in bilateral relations, reinforcing the ambition to put Franco-German coordination back at the centre of European decision-making. Leaders highlighted the need for a more sovereign Europe, with discussions focusing on security and defence, economic competitiveness, and deeper convergence across key policy fields.
A central outcome was the presentation of the Franco-German Economic Agenda, designed to revitalise the Franco-German engine at international, EU, and bilateral levels. Eight working groups, covering energy, trade and economic security, industry, cutting-edge technologies, digital sovereignty, competitiveness and Single Market, simplification, labour markets and social policy, and finance, contributed to shaping this ambitious roadmap.
Several dimensions of the Agenda are particularly significant to SGI Europe. In the energy and industry pillars, the two countries committed to scaling up investment in clean technologies and resilient infrastructure, which directly supports providers of energy, water, and waste services. The focus on competitiveness and Single Market simplification also aims to remove administrative burdens and accelerate funding access for local and regional authorities delivering essential services. Cooperation on labour markets and social policy will include initiatives to tackle skills shortages in healthcare, housing, and public transport, strengthening the long-term sustainability of SGIs.
Contact: Benoît Cassorla
The European Commission has submitted proposals to the Council for the signature and conclusion of the EU-Mercosur Partnership Agreement (EMPA) and the EU-Mexico Modernised Global Agreement (MGA). Both agreements form part of the EU’s external trade policy and require approval by the European Parliament and Member States before entering into force. Interim Trade Agreements (ITAs) covering areas of exclusive EU competence are also foreseen.
The EMPA, negotiated with Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, would establish a free trade area covering over 700 million people. According to Commission estimates, EU exports to Mercosur could increase by up to 39% (€49 billion annually), with tariff reductions applying to sectors such as cars (currently 35%), machinery (14–20%), and pharmaceuticals (up to 14%). The agreement includes provisions on investment, labour, and environmental standards, as well as geographical indications. In agriculture, EU exports, such as wine, spirits, chocolate, and olive oil, are expected to expand, while imports from Mercosur will be limited through quotas and safeguards. The agreement does not alter EU sanitary and phytosanitary requirements.
The MGA updates the 2000 EU-Mexico Global Agreement. The EU currently exports goods and services worth over €70 billion annually to Mexico. The modernised deal would eliminate remaining tariffs on EU exports such as cheese, pork, poultry, pasta, apples and wine, some of which currently face duties of up to 100%. It would extend geographical indication protection to 568 EU products. The agreement also covers access to critical raw materials, cooperation on sustainable development, migration, organised crime and gender equality.
Both EMPA and MGA include commitments to human rights, multilateralism and international security. The Commission presents them as instruments to facilitate trade, investment and political cooperation with Latin American partners.
Contact: Maxime Staelens
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