Europe is on the brink of a major shift in how work is valued. With the European Commission preparing a Quality Jobs Roadmap, and a new Quality Jobs Act announced by President Ursula von der Leyen, the EU is signalling that employment in the 21st century must evolve alongside the economy it serves.
This policy paper dives into why this matters now. Europe may be striving for a 78% employment rate by 2030, but rising employment hasn’t prevented nearly 11% of workers from facing poverty or social exclusion. Across sectors and countries, too many people are trapped in low-quality jobs, precarious work, or conditions that undermine both wellbeing and productivity. These structural gaps fuel labour shortages, underemployment, and persistent inequalities.
The Quality Jobs agenda offers a once-in-a-generation chance to rethink work in Europe, to ensure that jobs support people, communities, and the planet, not just competitiveness. This paper outlines how a bold Quality Jobs roadmap can build a fairer, more resilient labour market and help deliver on the promise of the European Pillar of Social Rights.
