PES Ministers support Executive Vice-President Roxana Mînzatu for further social progress. Polish Minister Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk and Danish Minister Ane Halsboe-Jørgensen present the priorities of their presidencies in 2025.
With the new legislative cycle beginning, progressive Employment and Social Affairs (EPSCO) Ministers gathered in Brussels this morning to outline priorities for the EU’s social agenda. PES Ministers warmly welcomed Roxana Mînzatu, the Commission’s newly appointed Executive Vice-President for Quality jobs and social rights, education, skills, and preparedness, for her first meeting with the PES Ministers’ network.
Rolf Schmachtenberg, Germany’s State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs and Chair of the meeting, said:
“We warmly congratulate Roxana Mînzatu on her appointment and look forward to working closely with her over the next five years.
With Commissioner Nicolas Schmit, we won many battles and raised the profile of employment and social issues across the EU. From SURE to the directives on minimum wages and platform workers’ rights, we delivered a very social legislative term, making real differences in people’s lives.
With Executive Vice-President Mînzatu, we agreed that this is exactly what we need and want to continue doing for the opening legislative mandate. We will support her Quality Jobs Package. And we will push for the further implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights. We are committed to both advancing workers rights in the EU, and together, we will fight to build a fairer, more social Union that delivers for all its people.”
The meeting also looked ahead to the next two EU Council presidencies, with Polish Minister Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk and Danish Minister Ane Halsboe-Jørgensen presenting their priorities for 2025. With two PES-led presidencies in a row, the PES network of Employment and Social Affairs Ministers is in a strong position to shape decisions on employment rights, equality, and social justice in the coming year.
Ministers also discussed key items on the EPSCO Council agenda, including the Directive on Traineeships.
Participants’ list:
- Rolf Schmachtenberg, State Secretary at the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, Germany
- Roxana Mînzatu, Executive Vice-President, European Commission
- Ane Halsboe-Jørgensen, Minister for Employment, Denmark
- Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk, Minister for Family, Labour and Social Affairs, Poland
- Borja Suárez Corujo, Secretary of State for Social Security and Pensions, Spain (online)
- Luka Mesec, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, Slovenia (Observer)
- Gabriele Bischoff, Vice-President, MEP, S&D Group in the European Parliament
- Esther Lynch, General Secretary, ETUC
- Yonnec Polet, Deputy Secretary General, PES
