On 7 May, Social Platform sent an advocacy letter to all EU Heads of State and Government calling on them to ensure a future for Europe that is socially and environmentally sustainable.
This came two days ahead of the informal European Council summit in Sibiu, Romania on 9 May that will bring together national leaders to – as the European Commission announced – renew their commitment to an EU that delivers on the issues that really matter to people.
In our letter, we asked EU leaders to ensure that this commitment does not remain an empty promise but that the EU is indeed focused on the wellbeing of its people, taking decisions with this at its heart. Just weeks before the European elections, this is a crucial moment for EU leaders to demonstrate their commitment towards a more social Europe. We have witnessed both increasing protests against inequalities across Europe as well as growing mistrust in the capacity of our democratic systems find solutions to existing problems and related political apathy. If EU leaders do not convince people of their commitment to a future Europe that is socially and environmentally sustainable, people will be more likely to vote for populist parties that do not support the European project, or simply abstain from voting.
To show their commitment, we asked EU leaders to:
- Utilise the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the European Pillar of Social Rights as a compass for the future of Europe and to implement them comprehensively, including the clear ambitions to end poverty, to tackle inequalities and discrimination and to promote social protection systems that leave no one behind.
- Organise an annual Social Summit of Heads of State and Government, to ensure social rights are discussed at the highest level possible.
- Ensure that civil society organisations are key stakeholders in building this socially and environmentally sustainable Europe.
Read the full letter here.
