The unsustainable burden of inequalities – How the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights can lead to the achievement of the Agenda 2030

The unsustainable burden of inequalities – How the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights can lead to the achievement of the Agenda 2030

Date: 22nd of November 2018, 13:00 – 15:00 
Venue: European Parliament - room PHS 1A2
Language: English
Registration here

One year after the proclamation of the European Pillar of Social Rights, we are drawing together high-level speakers to discuss how this potentially crucial instrument can be better implemented in the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals as to become the landmark for future European policies.

The conference also aims at perfecting our upcoming tool Social Rights Monitor, to be released in 2019 to analyse 16 European countries social rights advancement and whose elaboration and implementation is supported by the Employment and Social Innovation funded programme of the European Commission. 

Indeed, the current and longstanding lack of social investments is becoming as unsustainable for European social cohesion as the current production model is for our planet. Today, income inequalities are higher in the EU than in the US, the top 5% wealthiest Europeans owning almost 40% of total private wealth. Moreover, upward intergenerational social mobility in the EU is decreasing, and working-poors are up to 10% of the European Labour force. These data are only the tip of the iceberg, of course. Still, it should be enough to make the case for immediate, sound and robust social investment in Europe.

In this framework, SOLIDAR believes that sustainability is the key word for any forward looking agenda aiming at enabling the conditions for a stronger, united and collective Europe at the service of a fairer, cleaner, more just world.

Chair: Conny Reuter, SOLIDAR Secretary General

Speakers:

Keynote speech

• Kate Pickett, Professor at the University of York coo-author of the “The Inner Level: How More Equal Societies Reduce Stress, Restore Sanity and Improve Everyone’s Wellbeing (2018)” and “The Spirit Level: Why Greater Equality Makes Societies Stronger (2011)” and Member of the Independent Commission on Sustainable Equality  

Discussion Panel

• Udo Bullmann, MEP, S&D Group President
• Jean Lambert, MEP, Group of the Greens European Parliament (TBC)
• Joost Korte, DG EMPL, European Commission, Director General
• Esther Lynch, Confederal Secretary, ETUC
• Kélig Puyet, Director, Social Platform
• Nicolas Schmit, Minister for Labour, Employment, Social and Solidarity Economy of Luxembourg and Member of the Independent Commission on Sustainable Equality