Udvalget om Beskæftigelse og Sociale Anliggender

The Committee on Employment and Social Affairs discussed with Commissioner Glenn Micallef, responsible for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport, on 11 November the Commission’s priorities on youth policy, fairness between generations and improving working conditions for artists. The Commissioner also outlined work on intergenerational fairness, youth policy dialogues and building a resilient creative sector.

On 11 November, as part of the European Parliament’s 6th Gender Equality Week, the EMPL Committee held a discussion with Ms Carlien Scheele, Director of the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE), on the implementation of the Work-Life Balance Directive. Despite some progress in gender equality, women across the EU still face major disparities in employment, pay, pensions and care work, as they continue to shoulder most caregiving responsibilities.

On 10 November, the EMPL and FEMM Committees considered over 400 amendments to their joint draft report on gender pay and pension gaps in the EU. Despite progress, persistent inequalities remain due to pay disparities, career breaks and the undervaluation of female-dominated sectors.

On 23 October 2025, the EMPL and SANT Committees held a joint meeting to discuss the draft report on “An EU health workforce crisis plan: sustainability of healthcare systems, and employment and working conditions in the healthcare sector.” Co-rapporteurs Loucas Fourlas (EPP, CY) and Ruggero Razza (ECR, IT) presented the report, followed by an exchange with shadow rapporteurs and other Members.

On 23 October, the EMPL and FEMM Committees reviewed around 600 amendments to their joint draft report on the gender care gap, a key milestone in addressing inequalities in unpaid care work and promoting gender equality across the EU. The growing demand for care, driven by demographic change and labour market pressures, contrasts with a sector that remains undervalued, under-resourced and heavily gendered, with women still shouldering most care responsibilities.

The Committees on Employment and Social Affairs and on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety held an exchange of views with the Commission on the Social Climate Plans of Member States on 20 October.

The Committee on Employment and Social Affairs and the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality held an exchange of views on the joint draft report on the gender pay and pension gaps in the EU on 13 October.

The European Parliament’s CRPD Network met on 15 October. The CRPD Network is the Network on the Implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Members of the Network representing 16 Committees (EMPL, ENVI, JURI, CULT, FEMM, PETI, BUDG, IMCO, TRAN, REGI, DROI, DEVE, LIBE, SANT, HOUS, ITRE) discussed with the Commission and the European Disability Forum the implications of the UN CRPD Committee’s April 2025 recommendations for the European Parliament.