OREANDA-NEWS. ILO Director-General Guy Ryder has welcomed the launch of a consultation process on the European Pillar of Social Rights by the European Commission in Brussels this month.

“Strengthening the social dimension of the Economic and Monetary Union is a key part of the response to the global crisis, from which Europe still needs to fully recover. We hope the Pillar of Social Rights will help to increase the attention given to social issues in EU policy making,” he said.

The purpose of the Pillar is to define a number of essential principles that underpin well-functioning and fair labour markets and welfare systems. It will build on the EU social ‘acquis’ and serve as a compass for renewed convergence within the euro area. The social partners are invited to play an active role in shaping the Pillar.

On 8 March, the European Commission presented a preliminary outline of the European Pillar of Social Rights and launched a broad public consultation on it, which will last until the end of the year.

Within its mandate, the ILO looks forward to reinforcing its long-standing partnership with the European Commission, including on the construction of the Pillar of Social Rights.