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Italy but only around 10% in Lithua
nia.
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We encourage the Member States
to look in parallel at how EU law is
put in place at national level and we
count on feedback and suggestions
from businesses to help us make EU
rules more efficient.
In 2016 we will present concrete
proposals to modernise the OSH
framework, notably in the area of car
cinogens.
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What are the biggest challenges for
Europe regarding social policy, social
security and the safety and health of
EU citizens?
The world of work is constantly chang
ing. Keeping the EU framework up to
date and fit for purpose is a major chal
lenge. New challenges are brought
about by demographic developments
in Europe—not least the refugee cri
sis, which imply that older work
ers and migrant workers represent a
growing part of the workforce. Some
health and safety provisions need to
be updated as we gain new scientific
knowledge. Changes in technology,
work organisation, new contractual
arrangements and work patterns give
rise to newworkplace risks. My aim for
2016 is to reflect on how to best tackle
these challenges, through the debate
and consultation that we will launch
on the European Pillar of Social Rights
and other key initiatives that are on the
programme this year.
As regards occupational health
and safety, one major challenge is to
improve implementation of existing
health and safety legislation, in par
ticular by helping micro and small en
terprises. Small enterprises appear to
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be generally less compliant with oc
cupational health and safety require
ments. As a majority of workers in the
EU work in this type of establishments
it is important that the Commission to
gether with the Member States devel
op further measures to support small
and micro enterprises and help them
to better comply with health and safe
ty rules.
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In your view, how important is “social
dialogue” in shaping European social
policy?
Social partners, both at EU and nation
al level, have a major role to play in ad
dressing the challenges the EU is fac
ing, because they stand at the core of
our economies and labour markets.
They are the oil in the engine of our
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Social Market Economy. Social part
ners are key associates in the ambi
tion to push towards upward social
convergence, between Member States
and within societies, based on produc
tivity, job creation and social fairness.
Since last year, when the Commis
sion launched the new start for social
dialogue, we have very consistently en
sured that the engagement with social
partners is not only a soundbite but
delivers concrete results. We have en
sured a more substantial involvement
of the social partners in the European
Semester and greater involvement in
key policy initiatives, such as the in
vestment plan, the revamping of the
legislation on posting of workers and
the proposal to fight against long-term
unemployment.
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One aspect of the European Pillar of Social Rights: micro and small
enterprises in the EU should receive more support to fulfil health and
safety provisions.
Positioning