One year ago, I promised to put quality jobs at the heart of Europes competitiveness. Today, we deliver.
We are not just presenting a Roadmap. With the launch of the first-phase consultation of social partners, we are formally starting the process that will lead to a legislative proposal: the Quality Jobs Act. This was a central pledge of this Commission and reaffirmed by the President in her State of the Union address.
Over the past year, everywhere I travelled, workers, employers and national authorities told me the same thing: Europe needs a strong agenda for quality jobs. We listened, and today we act – with a Roadmap grounded in extensive consultation with social partners and a clear path toward legislation.
This Roadmap rests on three pillars: creating and maintaining quality jobs, modernisation and safety nets.
If we want to increase productivity, attract and retain talents, and support innovation – quality jobs are the answer. The Draghi Report made a clear link between competitiveness and quality jobs.
So how to create and maintain quality jobs?
By investing in skills. This has been a clear focus of my action during this first year of mandate.
By having a strong industrial base, and a regulatory environment that supports innovation. This, too, has been a priority of the Commission.
Looking ahead, it is important to have the right incentives for companies that invest in people and create quality jobs: from modernised State aid rules to social conditionality in public procurement.
Social conditionalities can help reward companies that value people, not just price. They can give European employers a fairer playing field against competitors who cut corners. On this topic I already work very closely with Executive Vice-President Séjourné.
The second pillar is modernisation.
Technologies are evolving and so must our workplaces. AI, algorithmic management – they are becoming more and more part of everyday working life. We cannot be stuck in time.
But embracing innovation does not mean abandoning safeguards. On the contrary: we need transparency, trust, and clear rules so that new technologies become a win-win for companies and workers. This is how we make innovation strengthen competitiveness and job quality. This is a topic where I work closely with Executive Vice-President Virkkunen.
Third, stronger safety nets. Let me highlight three elements here.
Health and safety. Too many Europeans still suffer preventable deaths, injuries and illnesses at work. Modern workplaces need modern protections, so we must update our rules accordingly. The evidence is clear: every euro invested in safer workplaces pays off twice in productivity, longer working lives and lower absenteeism.
Second, protection against exploitation. Whether in long subcontracting chains or the posting of third-country nationals, sectors like transport and construction face serious challenges. Ive witnessed it myself on construction sites and truck parks on motorways. We will look into stronger enforcement, more transparency and systems of liability for employers.
Third, adequate wages. Fair pay protects purchasing power, reduces inequality and makes work genuinely attractive. I am happy that the European Court of Justice confirmed the validity of the Minimum Wage Directive. We will now ensure that it is implemented in all Member States. Thanks to the Directive, countries that introduced statutory minimum wages have seen real wages rise by up to 10%. This is proof that EU legislation works.
Finally, we have what we call enablers of quality jobs: enforcement, social dialogue and investment.
We need better enforcement, better data and better oversight to ensure that workers rights translate into real protections. We will look into strengthening monitoring, guidance and cooperation with national authorities and EU agencies, as well as new tools to make labour inspections more effective.
Social dialogue and collective bargaining are an essential part of Europes model of quality jobs and strong, competitive companies. But collective bargaining coverage has decreased in two thirds of Member States. We want to reverse that trend.
And finally, EU funding. Thanks to instruments like the ESF+, InvestEU, the RRF, and regional funds, Member States are investing in skills and quality jobs. Looking ahead, the future National and Regional Partnership Plans will continue to keep this focus, with at least 14% of funds dedicated to social spending.
The European social model is our jewel. It attracts people to Europe, makes us more resilient, and underpins both competitiveness and social fairness.
This Roadmap, and the future Quality Jobs Act, are about protecting and renewing that model.
I invite all workers and companies to contribute to the formal phase of the process through the social partners. Ownership from everyone will be essential to design a Quality Jobs Act that truly works for companies and workers.
