S&D Group president Iratxe García Pérez on a fair minimum wage

 “The S&D Group’s support to Ursula von der Leyen was conditional on implementing a strong social agenda, and a fair minimum wages proposal is one of the key elements we demanded. We cannot just accept that there are 'working poor' in the EU. Every job deserves a decent salary. The introduction of fair minimum wages in the EU is good news for all the people struggling to survive on low wages and the most affected by the Covid-19 crisis, the majority of whom are women.”

Led by the EU Commissioner for Social Rights, Nicolas Schmit, the Commission this week presented its long-awaited proposal for a Directive on fair minimum wages. The S&D Group has been calling for this for many years and the proposal now forms part of the Commission Work Programme.

NEXT WEEK

As negotiations continue next week to approve the EU’s next multiannual, 7-year budget, we continue to make the case to the Council to listen to the demands of the Parliament for a budget that can implement Commission’s ambitious work programme, but that can also put in place an effective and clearly defined rule of law mechanism.

The S&D Group is fully behind the protests in Poland following the barbaric ruling to ban abortion by the PiS-controlled Constitution Tribunal. That is why S&D MEPs are also calling for a European Parliament debate to show even more support across the House for Polish women peacefully protesting to defend their fundamental rights.

As negotiations between the EU and the UK continue in Brussels into next week, we continue to support the EU’s Chief Negotiator, Michel Barnier, in his bid to reach an agreement with the UK that respects our core principles. The S&D Group is committed to ensuring the integrity of the single market, guaranteeing a level playing field with fair competition to prevent social and environmental dumping and including a fair and sustainable agreement on fisheries in any future partnership.

Next week, we will also be following developments in the US when voters head to the polls to cast their ballot on the next US president. With EU-US relations under heavy strain in recent years because of the Trump administration, S&D MEPs would like to see a convincing victory for the Biden-Harris ticket. FEPS is co-hosting an international online conference on 9-10 November to discuss the outcome of the elections and the EU-U.S. relationship post-2020.

Following the shocking news of terrorist attacks in France this week, the S&D Group stands in solidarity with France. We will fight tirelessly to fight all forms of violence and hatred in Europe.

PROGRESSIVE SOCIETY

Last week, S&D Group President Iratxe García Pérez and VP Eric Andrieu relaunched the Progressive Society to reinforce the Group’s impact on and influence over future European policy-making and progressive political thinking. Here is Iratxe García Pérez and Eric Andrieu explaining why it is more important than ever.

The new strategy will build on the initiative’s first report on Sustainable Equality that has already has a positive influence on the EU’s policy agenda. The new policy report, to be released by June 2021, will be submitted by a new Independent Commission for Sustainable Equality (ICSE), co-chaired by former Danish Prime Minister Poul Nyrup Rasmussen and by Spanish Deputy-Prime Minister Teresa Ribera.

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