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After the adoption of a new Pact for a European Social Dialogue, the EU-wide social summit took place recently (19 March, 2025). The Tripartite Summit is a forum for dialogue between the EU institutions, the member states and the social partners; the summit’s main theme was “Bringing Europe back on track in a challenging geopolitical environment as an attractive, competitive and investment friendly location that protects and creates quality jobs”.
The main concept of the European integration is Europe’s social market economy: it is both about the “markets” and about “people”; the latter really matters in times of global transformations. Besides, the member states can only boost the regional competitive edge and ensure inclusiveness only working together supplemented by sufficient social security. The states’ industries and SMEs face major challenges: high energy prices, skill shortages, insufficient access to finance, etc. and have to tackle these challenges in a sustainable way.
Most vital among social partners are two partners: from business’ side – Fredrik Persson, BusinessEurope’s President, representing employers (BusinessEurope, SGI Europe, SMEunited), and from the trade unions sides – Esther Lynch, General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC). The latter –the ETUC – is the voice of workers and represents 45 million members from 94 trade union organisations in 42 European countries, plus 10 European Trade Union Federations. Additionally, the “third partner” is the member states authorities.
More in: https://www.etuc.org/en/tripartite-social-summit
Background: Commissions’ first 100 days
During the first 100 days of the new Commission, it has followed the course of making the EU more competitive through the adoption of the Competitiveness Compass and working basically on the three pillars: closing the innovation gap, having a joint roadmap for decarbonisation as well as competitiveness, and reducing the dependencies (while increasing the states’ resilience and security).
Starting with the Clean Industrial Deal, the EU has mobilized €100 billion for clean technologies so that innovative European companies can continue to lead and provide quality jobs. Then, it initiated some efforts in supporting energy-intensive industries with energy Action Plan, followed by active participation in promoting different sectors: e.g. automotive, chemical, steel, etc. Besides, in all the strategic dialogues and action plans, the social partners are actively involved as the main actors in making businesses sustainable and workers’ rights secured.
As to the access to capital issues, the savings of European citizens are significant: however, the optimal solution needs a EU-wide “savings and investments union”; presently, the College has agreed on the proposal for such a “union”. Subsequently, the proposal will go through Parliament and Council. The “union” will: a) enable companies to raise the funding they need more efficiently, b) it will give citizens more choices to get better returns on their savings, and c) it will provide additional financing for the common European political priorities.
Finally, all the College’s tasks shall be accomplished with certain efforts to facilitate availability of skilled workforce: in the beginning of March, the Commission has launched another “union” that of skills, involving the European quality jobs roadmap, which is designed together with the social partners.
Source: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/da/statement_25_826
More on the “Union of Skills” in: https://www.integrin.dk/2025/03/05/union-of-skills-delivering-new-sectoral-challenges/
The summit: issues under discussion
Points raised during the discussion included the importance of investing in skill development, both when it comes to creating and maintaining high-quality jobs and as regards the EU’s overall competitiveness. Participants also discussed the ongoing impact of the geopolitical situation, including the war in Ukraine and rising trade tariffs, and the importance not only of maintaining internal unity in the face of these challenges, but also of building strong alliances with external partners.
Other topics covered during the summit included the need to invest in public services in addition to defence; the relevance of cohesion policy to increasing the EU’s competitiveness; the need to combat ‘social malaise’ and encourage young people to feel more optimistic about the future; and the crucial role played by collective bargaining.
According to António Costa, President of the European Council, “a strong dialogue between trade unions and employers at European, national and local levels is at the core of the European social model. As the states’ economies undergo major transformations, this dialogue is more essential than ever to foster quality jobs, boost competitiveness and build a more resilient and sustainable future in close cooperation”.
Reference to: https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/meetings/european-council/2025/03/19/
Summit’s concluding remarks
The European social partners jointly stated in the context of the summit that:
= The geopolitical situation increasingly challenges the European Union, putting EU institutions, member states, workers and enterprises under significant strain, at a moment when it is still recovering from previous crises and managing different transitions.
= The European social partners are convinced that Europe can only weather these developments while standing together, maintaining unity and solidarity, and taking action to reinforce Europe as an attractive, competitive and investment-friendly location that protects and creates quality jobs.
= The Tripartite Social Summit gathers EU leaders and the European social partners twice a year to discuss crucial decisions for the future of our continent. These exchanges at the highest level are more important than ever in a period where all Europeans need to join forces to strengthen the European Union to ensure economic and social progress.
= The European social partners call on the Commission and EU leaders to keep social partners at both European and national level fully involved in all relevant deliberations following the geopolitical uncertainties and transformation processes.
Source: https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2025/03/19/main-messages-from-the-tripartite-social-summit-of-19-march-2025/