The Council of the European Union's Working Party on Social Questions will convene on 1 July 2026 at 10:00 in the LEX Building in Brussels for a morning-only session, according to a notice of meeting and provisional agenda published by the Council on 29 June 2026. The meeting will feature presentations from the Irish Presidency on its programme and from the European Commission on its work programme for the second semester of 2026, as well as a discussion on working methods led by the General Secretariat of the Council (GSC).
The agenda includes a Commission presentation of a proposal for a Council Decision on guidelines for the employment policies of the Member States 2026 (document 10269/26 + ADD 1). Delegations are required to register their presence via the delegates portal. The meeting is scheduled as a 2+2 format, indicating two delegates per member state plus two additional participants. Any other business is also listed.
No prior coverage of this specific meeting exists in the available record. The Working Party on Social Questions is a preparatory body of the Council that examines legislative and non-legislative proposals in the social policy field, including employment guidelines, social protection, and working conditions. The meeting will set the stage for further discussions among member states on the Commission's employment policy guidelines, which are part of the European Semester cycle.
EU member states will receive updates on the Irish Presidency's priorities and the Commission's upcoming initiatives, which may influence national social policies. EU institutions will align their work programmes for the second half of 2026. Social partners and civil society organisations may be indirectly affected as the guidelines shape national employment policies. The meeting does not involve binding decisions but serves as a coordination forum.
The Working Party's discussions will feed into the Council's Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (EPSCO) configuration, which is expected to adopt the employment guidelines later in 2026. The European Parliament will also be consulted on the proposal.