REAL STUFF: 'European Pillar of Social Rights' in your pocket

A new world of work means updating rights and protections in Europe for all workers. European Commissioner for Employment and Social Affairs, Marianne Thyssen, believes Europe must address the need for convergence in social protection for all, in order to avoid generational gaps or the risk of poverty among citizens. 'The European Pillar of Social Rights' aims to be the compass for the EU, to ensure this happens in the years to come.

Maithreyi Seetharaman, Euronews:

"What did you bring as an object to signify the social protection measures you think should be put in place?"

Marianne Thyssen, European Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility:

"Well, I brought with me what I always have in my bag and that is a little booklet that has the 'European Pillar of Social Rights' in it. The 'European Pillar of Social Rights' is a proposal we made. I was able to be allowed to prepare it and it was supported by the whole college and in the end proclaimed by all the three political institutions - The European Council, the European Parliament and the Commission. We consider this as our social compass. It is our guide for the social future of Europe, of the European citizens and that is why I always have it with me."

Maithreyi Seetharaman:

"That is passionate, but within that, the proposal that you’ve put forward... what does it really mean for citizens at home, people like me?"

Marianne Thyssen:

"Well, what we have in this is... it is a list of principles that will guide us. It is about access to education because people really need skills. They need to be upskilled, reskilled in the digital world to take up the new jobs that will arrive. It is about good working conditions, also for people in the new economy, also those who are in what we call atypical contracts; not open-ended, not full-time, self employed. And it’s about good social protection for everybody who works - having access to social protection, making it possible that people build social protection schemes whether they are self-employed, whether they are in precarious contracts or in good contracts. Everybody needs access to social protection and that is the fundamental view that is translated in these pillars that, again, will serve as our compass in the future."