Renew Europe welcomes encouraging commitments by Commissioner-designate for Jobs and Social Affairs, Nicolas Schmit

The Employment and Economic Affairs Members welcomed today Nicolas Schmit, Commissioner-designate for the Jobs portfolio. During the three hours hearing, Renew Europe MEPs had the chance to ask him about what matters to the Group and the citizens they represent, in order to evaluate his candidacy to the appointed European Commission position.

Renew Europe MEPs enquired about children and youth skills, the future of work, and the industry 4.0, the situation of the labour market equality and about the social economy enterprises and unemployment due to ageing, among other topics. So far Schmit fulfils the 4 Renew Europe criteria announced by President Dacian Cioloș.

After the hearing, MEP Dragoș Pîslaru, Coordinator of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs said:

“Renew Europe fully supports the commitments made by Commissioner-designate Nicolas Schmit. He has an ambitious mandate ahead and we will work hard in the Parliament to complete the legislation he will put forward, in the interests of our citizens! We must deliver new solutions to our employees and employers to create more and better jobs and increase the resilience of the Union in an ever-changing labour climate. We also must create access and opportunities for our children and youth and boost social entrepreneurship categories”.

MEP Sylvie Brunet, Vice-Coordinator of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs added:

“We welcome Commissioner-designate Nicolas Schmit’s strong statement today about the necessary implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights. We also appreciate that, while recognising opportunities brought forward by platform work, he also stressed on the need to guarantee social protection to all precarious and platform workers. We need to be ambitious in this regard and expect concrete and timely proposals”.

ENDS