European Semester for economic policy coordination: employment and social priorities – annual report 2026

Amendments tabled for the plenary sitting on this text, in their own numbering series. This is a different set from the committee amendments tracked elsewhere on AmendEU, and is not counted in any of the site’s amendment totals.

1. Amendment 1ECRMotion for a resolution · Recital C
   Current text

   C. whereas 93.3 million people, accounting for 21 % of the EU population, were at risk of poverty or social exclusion (AROPE) in 2024, which shows that limited progress has been made towards the 2030 EPSR target for poverty reduction, with the trend in more than half of Member States moving in the wrong direction; whereas poverty risks are much higher for women, children, older people, persons with disabilities, the LGBTI+ community, low-skilled people, third-country nationals, Roma, single-parent households, and people living in depopulated areas, and significant discrepancies persist between and within Member States, including between rural and urban areas; whereas this divergence between…

   Amendment

   C. whereas 93.3 million people, accounting for 21 % of the EU population, were at risk of poverty or social exclusion (AROPE) in 2024, which shows that limited progress has been made towards the 2030 EPSR target for poverty reduction, with the trend in more than half of Member States moving in the wrong direction; whereas poverty risks are much higher for women, children, older people, persons with disabilities, the LGBTI+ community, low-skilled people, third-country nationals, Roma, single-parent households, and people living in depopulated areas, mountainous regions and islands, and significant discrepancies persist between and within Member States, including between rural and urban areas;…

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2. Amendment 2ECRMotion for a resolution · Recital C
   Current text

   C. whereas 93.3 million people, accounting for 21 % of the EU population, were at risk of poverty or social exclusion (AROPE) in 2024, which shows that limited progress has been made towards the 2030 EPSR target for poverty reduction, with the trend in more than half of Member States moving in the wrong direction; whereas poverty risks are much higher for women, children, older people, persons with disabilities, the LGBTI+ community, low-skilled people, third-country nationals, Roma, single-parent households, and people living in depopulated areas, and significant discrepancies persist between and within Member States, including between rural and urban areas; whereas this divergence between…

   Amendment

   C. whereas 93.3 million people, accounting for 21 % of the EU population, were at risk of poverty or social exclusion (AROPE) in 2024, which shows that limited progress has been made towards the 2030 EPSR target for poverty reduction, with the trend in more than half of Member States moving in the wrong direction; whereas poverty risks are much higher for women, children, older people, persons with disabilities, low-skilled people, third-country nationals, Roma, single-parent households, and people living in depopulated areas, and significant discrepancies persist between and within Member States, including between rural and urban areas; whereas this divergence between rising average incomes…

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3. Amendment 3ECRMotion for a resolution · Recital G a (new)
   Amendment

   Ga. whereas, as mentioned in the report by Mario Draghi of 9 September 2024 on the future of EU competitiveness, the EU’s competitiveness has suffered because of excessive regulatory burdens and ‘inconsistent and restrictive regulations’, contributing in particular to the reduction of its industrial fabric and therefore its employment pools;

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4. Amendment 4ECRMotion for a resolution · Recital H
   Current text

   H. whereas the EU faces persistent labour and skills shortages in several sectors, driven by different factors, such as demographic and technological change, skills mismatches, job quality and lack of attractiveness of and investment into quality public services, which has been identified as a key barrier for EU growth and competitiveness; whereas limited career prospects and precarious working conditions of young people in parts of the Union contribute to talent outflows between EU regions and third countries, further exacerbating these shortages; whereas the Commission proposal for a 2026 joint employment report highlights that addressing structural labour market weaknesses through better…

   Amendment

   H. whereas the EU faces persistent labour and skills shortages in several sectors, driven by different factors, such as demographic and technological change, skills mismatches, job quality and lack of attractiveness of and investment into quality public services, which has been identified as a key barrier for EU growth and competitiveness; whereas limited career prospects and precarious working conditions of young people in parts of the Union contribute to talent outflows between EU regions and third countries, further exacerbating these shortages; whereas the Commission proposal for a 2026 joint employment report highlights that addressing structural labour market weaknesses through better…

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5. Amendment 5ECRMotion for a resolution · Paragraph -1
   Amendment

   -1. Recalls that the European Semester should remain a non-binding instrument for the coordination of the macroeconomic and fiscal policies of the Member States in order to ensure the underlying soundness of the EU’s monetary policy, with EU social competence playing a supporting role to Member States’ policies;

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6. Amendment 6ECRMotion for a resolution · Paragraph 1 a (new)
   Amendment

   1a. Encourages the Commission to pursue efforts to simplify the administrative burden and bureaucracy, as well as excessive sustainability measures that undermine the competitiveness of businesses and European employment;

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7. Amendment 7ECRMotion for a resolution · Paragraph 2 a (new)
   Amendment

   2a. Encourages the Member States to implement policies to boost the birth rate; stresses that, in this regard, certain measures such as childcare services or parental leave can be financed by EU funds;

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8. Amendment 8S&DMotion for a resolution · Paragraph 3 a (new)
   Amendment

   3a. Recalls Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s commitment made in 2019 to ensuring that every child in Europe at risk of poverty or social exclusion has access to the most basic of rights, such as healthcare and education, which was followed by the adoption of Council Recommendation (EU) 2021/1004 of 14 June 2021 establishing a European Child Guarantee1a; stresses that the objectives of the European Child Guarantee cannot be achieved without an ambitious dedicated budget at both EU and national level; reiterates, in this context, its call for a substantial dedicated budget of at least EUR 20 billion for the European Child Guarantee; underlines the urgent need for this dedicated budg…

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9. Amendment 9The LeftMotion for a resolution · Paragraph 3 a (new)
   Amendment

   3a. Recalls that the creation of quality jobs is key to attracting a skilled workforce and incentivising employers to invest in workers’ skills development; recalls that recruitment difficulties and skills mismatches often stem from poor job quality, a lack of people-oriented human resources policies and untapped job design opportunities1a; calls on the Commission to address the issue through the quality jobs act and the Union of Skills by adapting upskilling and reskilling policies and introducing measures that promote better working conditions, occupational health and safety, and quality job creation, including in the digital and automated work environment; stresses that transparent algori…

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10. Amendment 10The LeftMotion for a resolution · Paragraph 6
    Current text

    6. Is concerned about the level of youth unemployment, which remains more than twice as high as the overall EU unemployment rate; stresses that, for young people, it is essential to complement employment activation measures with sustained support, including access to integrated social services, housing and mental health support in order to ensure their continued participation in education or employment; emphasises the need for Member States to invest in the reinforced Youth Guarantee in order to ensure quality and timely support for all young people not engaged in education, employment or training (NEETs) under the age of 30; urges the Member States to strengthen the use of the reinforced Yo…

    Amendment

    6. Is concerned about the level of youth unemployment, which remains more than twice as high as the overall EU unemployment rate; stresses that, for young people, it is essential to complement employment activation measures with sustained support, including access to integrated social services, housing and mental health support in order to ensure their continued participation in education or employment; highlights that investing in the improvement of living and working conditions, including addressing social exclusion and poverty, is needed to prevent poor mental health; emphasises that poor mental health comes at a great cost to the EU, including because it lowers productivity and causes 11…

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11. Amendment 11The LeftMotion for a resolution · Paragraph 6 a (new)
    Amendment

    6a. Calls on the Commission and the Member States, within the framework of the European Semester, to promote high-quality and fairly remunerated traineeships and to prevent their misuse as a substitute for regular employment; calls for the forthcoming directive on improving trainees’ working conditions1a to be ambitious and comprehensive, ensuring the full protection of trainees’ rights, including the possibility of terminating the traineeship without prejudice in the event of a breach of fundamental rights, and calls for the swift conclusion of negotiations; _____________________ 1a Commission proposal of 20 March 2024 for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on improvi…

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12. Amendment 12The LeftMotion for a resolution · Paragraph 7
    Current text

    7. Considers that action at EU and Member State level is needed to prevent and address persistently high levels of poverty and social exclusion, and welcomes the announcement of the first EU anti-poverty strategy in this regard; believes that the strategy must provide a comprehensive approach to tackling the root causes and multidimensional aspects of poverty and social exclusion, with concrete actions, a robust budgetary allocation, clear objectives, milestones and structural measures, while also ensuring strong implementation and monitoring; calls on the Member States to implement the directive on adequate minimum wages6 to fight in-work poverty and incentivise work; calls for the EU anti-…

    Amendment

    7. Considers that action at EU and Member State level is needed to prevent and address persistently high levels of poverty and social exclusion, and welcomes the announcement of the first EU anti-poverty strategy in this regard; believes that the strategy must provide a comprehensive approach to tackling the root causes and multidimensional aspects of poverty and social exclusion, with concrete actions, a robust budgetary allocation, clear objectives, milestones and structural measures, while also ensuring strong implementation and monitoring; calls on the Member States to implement the directive on adequate minimum wages6, especially with regard to collective bargaining coverage, to fight i…

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13. Amendment 13The LeftMotion for a resolution · Paragraph 7 a (new)
    Amendment

    7a. Calls on the Member States to establish a youth autonomy guarantee for young people aged 18 to 25, including students, trainees, apprentices and young jobseekers, in order to prevent poverty and social exclusion and to support their transition to independent living, by ensuring access to adequate income support throughout the year, affordable housing, education and training, healthcare and tailored social support services, including for those who cannot rely on family support;

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14. Amendment 14The LeftMotion for a resolution · Paragraph 7 b (new)
    Amendment

    7b. Stresses the need to ensure adequately staffed and properly resourced labour inspectorates in order to effectively enforce the rights of workers, including young workers, trainees and apprentices, in particular regarding pay and working conditions;

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15. Amendment 15The LeftMotion for a resolution · Paragraph 8 a (new)
    Amendment

    8a. Calls on the Commission and the Member States, within the framework of the European Semester, to closely monitor the direct transposition of Directive (EU) 2024/28311a and developments in platform work, with a view to ensuring fair and transparent working conditions, legal certainty and a level playing field; calls, in particular, for enhanced transparency and accountability in remuneration-setting mechanisms, especially where algorithmic management systems determine pay, in order to improve clarity, predictability and proportionality in income-setting practices; ____________________ 1a Directive (EU) 2024/2831 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2024 on improving…

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16. Amendment 16The LeftMotion for a resolution · Paragraph 15 a (new)
    Amendment

    15a. Highlights the need for fair, progressive and efficient tax systems as a key component of sustainable and socially balanced fiscal policies; stresses that tax reforms should reduce inequalities, protect low- and middle-income households and ensure that the green and digital transitions are financed in a socially just manner; calls on the Member States to tackle tax avoidance, aggressive tax planning and tax fraud; calls for further coordinated steps to ensure proper taxation of large multinational enterprises, including digital business models; stresses that public revenue could be used to help address Member States’ fiscal challenges, as well as contribute to the long-term sustainabili…

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17. Amendment 17The LeftMotion for a resolution · Paragraph 20
    Current text

    20. Strongly believes that an individual right to training for workers during working hours, which addresses the main barriers to pursuing training, can ensure quality upskilling and reskilling, employee training and career development support in order to ensure a predictable and stable supply of skilled workers for employers; stresses the need for tackling the cost barrier by ensuring cost-free training for workers, supported by funding, tax incentives and partnerships; stresses that national institutions and social partners are responsible for the training of employees, and highlights their essential role in the implementation of the right to training; calls, in this regard, on Member Stat…

    Amendment

    20. Strongly believes that an individual right to training for workers during working hours, which addresses the main barriers to pursuing training, can ensure quality upskilling and reskilling, employee training and career development support in order to ensure a predictable and stable supply of skilled workers for employers; stresses the need for tackling the cost barrier by ensuring cost-free training for workers, supported by funding, tax incentives and partnerships; stresses that the right to training must explicitly include mandatory, high-quality, regular and paid occupational health and safety training aimed at preventing workplace accidents, occupational diseases and deaths at work,…

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18. Amendment 18PPEMotion for a resolution · Paragraph 5
    Current text

    5. Reiterates its call for an increase in the funding of the European Child Guarantee, with a dedicated budget of at least EUR 20 billion, and for Member States to earmark at least 5 % of their allocated ESF+ funds to fighting child poverty and promoting children’s well-being, with at least 10 % earmarked for Member States with child poverty levels exceeding the EU average;

    Amendment

    5. Reiterates its call for an increase in the funding of the European Child Guarantee, with a substantial dedicated budget, and for Member States to earmark at least 5 % of their allocated ESF+ funds to fighting child poverty and promoting children’s well-being, with at least 10 % earmarked for Member States with child poverty levels exceeding the EU average;

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19. Amendment 19PfEMotion for a resolution · Recital B
    Current text

    B. whereas the European Semester remains a central instrument for coordinating economic, fiscal, employment and social policy across the EU, and should aim to embed social justice, environmental sustainability and intergenerational fairness more systematically into macroeconomic governance, putting the EPSR at its core and respecting the principle of subsidiarity; whereas efforts have been made to better balance the monitoring of economic and social objectives in the European Semester process with the development of the Social Scoreboard and the recent integration of the social convergence framework into the process; whereas the 2026 Autumn Package was presented without an Annual Sustainable…

    Amendment

    B. whereas the European Pillar of Social Rights has no binding legal force and must not serve as a basis for extending the EU’s competences into areas reserved to the Member States under the Treaties; whereas social policy, wage-setting mechanisms and the organisation of social protection systems remain primarily national competences; whereas the European Semester must not evolve into a mechanism of centralised social surveillance or indirect social harmonisation; whereas full respect for the principle of subsidiarity and national diversity of social models must remain a cornerstone of economic governance within the EU;

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20. Amendment 20PfEMotion for a resolution · Paragraph 5
    Current text

    5. Reiterates its call for an increase in the funding of the European Child Guarantee, with a dedicated budget of at least EUR 20 billion, and for Member States to earmark at least 5 % of their allocated ESF+ funds to fighting child poverty and promoting children’s well-being, with at least 10 % earmarked for Member States with child poverty levels exceeding the EU average;

    Amendment

    5. Reiterates its call for Member States to allocate an adequate portion of their allocated ESF+ funds to fighting child poverty and promoting children’s well-being, with particular attention paid to Member States where child poverty levels exceed the EU average; recalls that combating poverty primarily falls within the responsibility of national family and social policies;

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21. Amendment 21PfEMotion for a resolution · Paragraph 9
    Current text

    9. Calls for an EU directive on a framework for minimum income schemes, with the purpose of safeguarding the right to a decent life and ensuring that every person in need in the EU is covered by a minimum income scheme; recalls that such a directive, in compliance with the principle of subsidiarity, would address gaps in the EU social acquis by contributing to the goals of reducing poverty while fostering the active integration of people who are absent from the labour market;

    Amendment

    9. Recalls the judgment of the Court of Justice of the European Union of 11 November 2025 in Case C-19/231a concerning Directive (EU) 2022/2041 on adequate minimum wages, which held that the determination of pay falls outside the competences conferred on the Union pursuant to Article 153(5) TFEU; stresses, therefore, that any EU action affecting wage formation at national level risks undermining the proper functioning of collective bargaining models; ________________________ 1a Judgment of the Court of Justice of 11 November 2025, Kingdom of Denmark v European Parliament and the Council of the European Union, C-19/23 ECLI:EU:C:2025:865.

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22. Amendment 22PfEMotion for a resolution · Paragraph 19
    Current text

    19. Highlights the need for EU initiatives on skills shortages to provide stronger support for comprehensive, inclusive education and training systems, including through active labour market policies, individual learning accounts and micro-credentials, and the strengthening of procedures for the validation of non-formal and informal learning; further stresses the importance of improving and facilitating fair labour mobility within the EU and of the role of legal migration and the recognition of foreign qualifications to address skills shortages; is concerned that adult participation in training remains well below the 60 % target in most Member States, particularly among low-skilled workers,…

    Amendment

    19. Acknowledges the existence of skills shortages in certain sectors but stresses that responses must primarily focus on mobilising the existing workforce within the Member States, improving working conditions and wage levels, and strengthening national education and vocational training systems in line with domestic labour market needs; underlines that education and training policies fall within the competences of the Member States and must respect national specificities;

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23. Amendment 23PfEMotion for a resolution · Paragraph 19 a (new)
    Amendment

    19a. Considers that labour mobility within the EU must remain balanced and must not contribute to social dumping or brain drain in less economically developed regions; stresses that legal migration cannot constitute a structural or automatic response to labour shortages and that priority should be given to upskilling and reskilling EU citizens; calls on the Commission to fully respect the principle of subsidiarity when proposing initiatives related to skills recognition, portability or labour mobility;

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24. Amendment 24PfEMotion for a resolution · Paragraph 22
    Current text

    22. Stresses that, within the framework of the European Semester, defence spending must be planned in a coordinated, efficient, transparent and European manner to maximise societal benefits; underlines that security-related investment should include societal resilience, including infrastructure with high civilian benefits, social protection, civic education, democratic resilience and protection against disinformation, recognising that social stability and democratic trust are important components of Europe’s security architecture and must be reflected in the Semester’s analysis of long-term reform and investment needs;

    Amendment

    22. Recalls that national defence policy and the determination of defence expenditure remain the sovereign prerogative of the Member States, in accordance with Articles 4(2), 24 and 42 of the Treaty on European Union; stresses that the European Semester, as an instrument of economic policy coordination under Articles 121 and 148 TFEU, must not be used to assess, coordinate or steer national defence planning or military expenditure; rejects any attempt to integrate defence priorities into social or fiscal surveillance mechanisms;

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