On 24 July 2026, the European Commission published a Communication deepening implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights, announcing a series of legislative and non-legislative initiatives through 2027. The new actions complement the 2021 Action Plan and target job quality, activation, affordable housing, care, and poverty reduction, with updated 2030 headline targets: employment at least 78% (76.1% in 2025), adult training at least 60% (39.5% in 2022), and at least 15 million fewer people at risk of poverty or social exclusion (around 3.5 million reduction between 2019 and 2025).
The Commission will strengthen job quality monitoring via the Employment Committee (EMCO) and initiate a consultation on a possible new job quality target beyond 2030. A Quality Jobs Act is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2026. The Commission also launches a first-phase consultation of EU social partners on EU action on activation of persons facing significant barriers to employment, published together with this Communication. An Affordable Housing Act is planned for the third quarter of 2026, followed by a housing simplification package in 2027. A European Care Deal is set for 2027. The Commission presents a monitoring report on the Adequate Minimum Wages Directive alongside the Communication. Additional studies include a study on housing inequality and discrimination (2027), a study on food affordability (2026), and a pilot project on food access. An evaluation report on the European Network of Public Employment Services is due in 2026.
Policy orientations and trade-offs The Communication balances social investment with economic competitiveness. The Quality Jobs Act aims to improve working conditions and reduce precarious employment, potentially increasing labour costs for employers, particularly in low-margin sectors such as hospitality, retail, and care. The Affordable Housing Act and housing simplification package seek to address rising housing costs and inequality, which may impose new regulatory or financial obligations on property developers and landlords. The European Care Deal targets the care sector, which faces chronic underfunding and staff shortages; new standards could raise quality but also increase public spending or costs for private providers. The activation consultation focuses on integrating persons with significant barriers to employment, which may require additional resources for public employment services and training programmes.
Stakeholder impact - EU workers and jobseekers: positive impact from improved job quality, activation measures, and affordable housing initiatives, though benefits depend on implementation and enforcement. - EU employers, especially in labour-intensive sectors: negative impact from potential higher labour costs and regulatory burdens from the Quality Jobs Act and care standards; positive impact from a larger, better-trained labour pool. - EU national authorities: mixed impact; new targets and monitoring requirements increase administrative burden, but EU-level coordination may share best practices and funding. - EU civil society and social partners: positive impact from strengthened consultation and monitoring, but outcomes depend on political will and resource allocation.
Institutional follow-up The Communication is addressed to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee, and the Committee of the Regions. The Commission will present legislative proposals in the coming quarters, starting with the Quality Jobs Act (Q4 2026) and the Affordable Housing Act (Q3 2026). The Council and Parliament will co-decide on legislative files. Social partners have been invited to respond to the activation consultation. The Commission will report on progress through EMCO and the Social Protection Committee.