Citizens' Dialogue in Esch-Belval with Commissioner Nicolas Schmit

“We want to re-establish the dignity of work, an ambitious programme, and by doing so we want to guarantee that each person’s income allows them to live with dignity,” declared Commissioner Schmit, at the start of the dialogue at the University of Luxembourg that gathered 350 people.

Commissioner Schmit explained the role of the European Union in the history of social rights and the future of the labour market in Europe: “it is certain that there will be a transformation of labour due to the new technologies (…) we estimate that in the next 5 years we have to requalify at least half of the work force in Europe’’.

Participants in the dialogue were curious about the European minimum wage consultations, future measures against the gender pay gap and work-life balance.

Around half the audience was composed by university and high school students, and they asked questions about youth unemployment, the European youth programme, Brexit and the integration of refugees in the economy.