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This European Commission clearly has an ambition for a more social Europe. At last week’s conference on the European Pillar of Social Rights, I acknowledged the participation of nine different Commissioners, and the President himself during the event. Most governments sent ministerial level representatives – who together with businesses and trade unions – had opportunities to intervene in all the workshops. It seems this Commission is serious about “going forward together” – or are they?

Despite the presence of organized civil society throughout the conference, very few of us had the opportunity to contribute. Despite all the rhetoric that the EU institutions need to reconnect with citizens, and that this is a “last-chance Commission”, I left feeling that little has changed. It feels like the strong vested interests in the status-quo will strangle any attempt by this Commission to address its challenges head-on.

The reality we see every day is that millions of people living in the European Union today are in survival mode. We see levels of family homelessness escalating, increasing reliance on foodbanks, more and more people in precarious employment, not to mention those who have lost all hope of ever finding a job. As civil society it is our job to ensure that the perspectives of these people – who have no representative trade union – are heard. It is also our job to impress upon our political leaders that their lives matter, and that enabling them to participate fully in society is not only a question of human rights, but also makes our societies and economies more resilient.

The European Pillar of Social Rights needs to be about so much more than just jobs. Social inclusion means creating an environment where everybody can realise their potential and can contribute to society. First and foremost it’s about giving people a voice. Civil society networks bring people and organisations together around common values. Most importantly we believe that policies must be developed and delivered with the direct involvement of people they aim to support.

In the next couple of months, the European Commission is due to publish its proposals for a European Pillar of Social Rights. Now is the time to do things differently. Now is the time to empower civil society and to give us an active role. It will be difficult to deliver on Europe’s ambitious social agenda without us.

Warm wishes,

Jana Hainsworth, President