Citizens' Dialogue online with Commissioner Nicolas Schmit You can watch it here and also here Friday 15 May 2020, 10:30 - 11:30 (IST)Online only SpeakersNicolas SchmitCommissioner Practical information WhenFriday 15 May 2020, 10:30 - 11:30 (IST)WhereOnline only Report Commissioner Schmit began by noting how the outlook for his portfolio was totally transformed from favourable to crisis within a few short weeks of his mandate beginning and how the Commission responded quickly to the crisis by mobilising funding and working to keep the borders of the internal market open.He stressed the importance of re-starting the economy with some 40 million people currently on short-time work but underlined that health and safety considerations are paramount. The Commissioner welcomed Coreper’s approval of the SURE instrument – to allow companies to retain staff by providing €100 billion worth of loans to Member States to finance short-time work schemes - and the Commission’s recent tourism package.He highlighted the divergence between MS in the scale of state aid supports given to companies – of up to 4-5% of GDP in some cases – and stressed the importance of preserving a level playing field in the internal market. It’s crucial that the current economic crisis is not transformed into a social crisis, according to Schmit, calling for special focus on the most vulnerable groups.On the Recovery Plan, he said this needs to be: sizeable, timely and well targeted so that companies can have confidence and trust in the future. The Commissioner also believes that the EU needs to seize the opportunity of the recovery to transform our economy by becoming greener and more digitally advanced. He stressed that the greening of our economy remains a priority and we have to become leaders in the digital transformation. This also calls for extensive reskilling and upskilling of our workforce to meet these new challenges.Meaures to support young people who are hardest hit by the crisis will also be prioritised in a reinforced Youth Guarantee. We also need to take care of the poor who are real victims of this crisis, according to Schmit, who highlighted that the EU has not achieved its 2020 targets on this. Noting that Ireland has the second highest minimum wage in the EU, the Commissioner said that we need to make sure that work still pays. He also praised the work and social value of nurses and other frontline - and often female - workers especially in the care sector while calling for more gender equality.To ensure that the recovery has a strong social dimension the Commission will use the European Pillar of Social Rights as a compass going forward with a new Action Plan and social summit due in 2021. Schmit made a strong case for pursing work on a minimum wage initiative and announced that the second stage of consultation with social partners on this will be launched soon. Related links More details available here
Commissioner Schmit began by noting how the outlook for his portfolio was totally transformed from favourable to crisis within a few short weeks of his mandate beginning and how the Commission responded quickly to the crisis by mobilising funding and working to keep the borders of the internal market open.He stressed the importance of re-starting the economy with some 40 million people currently on short-time work but underlined that health and safety considerations are paramount. The Commissioner welcomed Coreper’s approval of the SURE instrument – to allow companies to retain staff by providing €100 billion worth of loans to Member States to finance short-time work schemes - and the Commission’s recent tourism package.He highlighted the divergence between MS in the scale of state aid supports given to companies – of up to 4-5% of GDP in some cases – and stressed the importance of preserving a level playing field in the internal market. It’s crucial that the current economic crisis is not transformed into a social crisis, according to Schmit, calling for special focus on the most vulnerable groups.On the Recovery Plan, he said this needs to be: sizeable, timely and well targeted so that companies can have confidence and trust in the future. The Commissioner also believes that the EU needs to seize the opportunity of the recovery to transform our economy by becoming greener and more digitally advanced. He stressed that the greening of our economy remains a priority and we have to become leaders in the digital transformation. This also calls for extensive reskilling and upskilling of our workforce to meet these new challenges.Meaures to support young people who are hardest hit by the crisis will also be prioritised in a reinforced Youth Guarantee. We also need to take care of the poor who are real victims of this crisis, according to Schmit, who highlighted that the EU has not achieved its 2020 targets on this. Noting that Ireland has the second highest minimum wage in the EU, the Commissioner said that we need to make sure that work still pays. He also praised the work and social value of nurses and other frontline - and often female - workers especially in the care sector while calling for more gender equality.To ensure that the recovery has a strong social dimension the Commission will use the European Pillar of Social Rights as a compass going forward with a new Action Plan and social summit due in 2021. Schmit made a strong case for pursing work on a minimum wage initiative and announced that the second stage of consultation with social partners on this will be launched soon.
