Birth of a new EU agency

© Belga Image “For all”: the message is encapsulated in those two short words at the end of the main title of the 2019 Employment and Social Developments in Europe (ESDE) review – “Sustainable growth for all: choices for the future of social Europe” - published by the European Commission on 4 July 2019 (see also pages 27 and 28). Twelve days later, European Commission President-elect Ursula von der Leyen presented a European Green Deal, as the first of six political guidelines for the new European Commission 2019-2024 (see page 6). ESDE 2019 discusses the interplay of synergies and trade-offs between the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainability, as well as policy options that can preserve the EU’s competitiveness and sustain growth for the entire EU population and future generations, while transitioning to a climate-neutral economy. This transition will not automatically be just. Fairness requires action. Social considerations must be integrated upfront in the design phase of climate change strategies, such as the European Green Deal. Challenges ESDE 2019 starts by reviewing the concept of sustainability (see box), which emerged in the second half of the 20th century: the EU actually led the way by raising the sustainability issue in international fora, as something requiring urgent and coordinated action for global policy. In the UN context, this led to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. While the EU enshrined the concerns related to the social dimension of sustainability in the European Pillar of Social Rights, adopted in 2017. ESDE confirms the continued expansion of the EU’s economy, all- time records for high employment and low unemployment, as well as an improving social situation with the number of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion continuing to fall below pre-2008 crisis levels. The day after heavy storms: social considerations must be integrated upfront in the design phase of climate change strategies. Fair transition to zero-carbon economy The Employment and Social Developments in Europe 2019 analytical review came out just in time for the elaboration of the 2019-2024 EU guidelines, which include a European Green Deal SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT 1 0 / SOC I A L AG E NDA / NOV E MB E R 2 0 1 9