Joint statement of the European Commission and the EU Social and Economic Partners on supporting the labour market integration of refugees

On 19 December, the European Commission and European Social and Economic Partners (SGI Europe, BusinessEurope, SMEunited, ETUC and Eurochambers) renewed their commitment to integrating more effectively refugees and other migrants into the EU labour market. In a joint statement, the European Commission and the Social and Economic Partners reaffirmed the importance of a multi-stakeholder approach to facilitate the integration into the labour market.
The joint statement was presented during a dedicated meeting of the EU Social and Economic Partners and Ylva Johansson, European Commissioner for Home Affairs, and Nicolas Schmit, European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights.

Commenting on the joint statement, Valeria Ronzitti, SGI Europe General Secretary, commented:

“More than ever, we need well-functioning essential services and swift labour market policies to support the integration of refugees. We are welcoming the emphasis that our joint statement puts on providing access to essential services in line with the Pillar of Social Rights as one of the main challenges ahead for integration.”

“Building upon the lessons from past actions, and in line with the principles of our partnership, it is essential to ensure a multi-stakeholder approach for providing skills and qualifications recognition, language training and integration services, including childcare support, healthcare, and housing.”

“We welcome the pilot EU Talent Pool, which should offer job opportunities for Ukrainian refugees in the position of taking up employment while gathering data on their skills and fostering integration in hosting communities. SGI Europe will use its network of members on the ground to support its implementation and connect the relevant actors.”