As you know, Finland is presiding the European Council since July 2019, in the context of the European Union’s rotating Council presidencies. It is very interesting to note that Finland has taken the decision to concentrate on skills and on boosting skilled labour EU wide.

These are some of the new Presidency’s guidelines:

“Although Europe’s economy has been expanding and employment increasing, the shortage of skilled labour is a serious challenge. The EU’s social policies are key to increasing the availability of skilled workers in the single market.

This will also benefit those who are outside the labour market, since increases in the employment rate contribute to strengthening the financial base and stability of the welfare state. The Finnish Presidency stresses that one of the main goals of the EU is to promote the wellbeing of its citizens. The aim should be to make European education, training and research the best in the world.

Finland’s Presidency aims to

  • increase the availability of skilled labour and the mobility of workers
  • promote continuous learning by devising a strategy for it
  • strengthen the Erasmus programme by promoting training, skills and mobility
  • discuss a networked European ‘super-university’ model
  • work towards achieving an ‘economy of wellbeing’, meaning a new approach to how people’s wellbeing enhances productivity and generates economic growth
  • strengthen gender equality in working life, and
  • support the social inclusion of young people.

General background: EU’s role in employment and social policy is limited

The goal of the EU’s employment and social policy is to improve people’s standard of living and quality of life. The EU aims to increase employment, improve living and working conditions, and ensure that member states take care of their citizens’ health.

The main responsibility for employment and social policy, however, rests with the member states. The EU’s role is to set common targets for all member states, to evaluate actions carried out at national level, and to share information on best practices and issue recommendations to member states. To date, the only legislation that the EU has adopted in this field concerns minimum standards and minimum rights.”