Press Release: Commission discusses ways to strengthen EU social policy

On 09 June 2015, the European Commission held an orientation debate to discuss how the European Union's policies could best address social and employment challenges in Europe.

The debate was seen as an opportunity to set the scene for initiatives already being developed - like the Investment Plan for Europe and the Youth Employment Initiative - and to shape subsequent steps. The outcome of the debate would feed into the EC's work programme for the rest of the mandate.

The need for social fairness and for reinforcement the principles of a European Social Market Economy were underlined by the political guidelines released by the EC president Jean-Claude Juncker.

• Primary Source

European Commission: DG Communication: RAPID: STATEMENT/15/5151, 09.06.15: Remarks by Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis at the press conference on the social policy orientation debate http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_STATEMENT-15-5151_en.htm

European Commission: DG Communication: RAPID: STATEMENT/15/5150, 09.06.15: Remarks by Commissioner Marianne Thyssen: "Policy Orientations for a Social Europe" http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_STATEMENT-15-5150_en.htm

EUObserver, 10.06.15: EU commission moots minimum welfare rules https://euobserver.com/social/129042

---