What changed between the resolution motion and the adopted text

Removed:B100152/2025

Added:P10_TA(2025)0039

Changed:European Parliament resolution on socialSocial and employment aspects of restructuring processes: the need to protect jobs and workers’ rights

Removed:(2024/2829(RSP))

Added:PE765.150

Added:European Parliament resolution of 13 March 2025 on social and employment aspects of restructuring processes: the need to protect jobs and workers’ rights (2024/2829(RSP))

The European Parliament,

Changed:– having regard to the CommissionTreaty communicationon the Functioning of 11the DecemberEuropean 2019Union, onin theparticular EuropeanArticles Green151 Dealand (COM(2019)0640),153 thereof,

Removed:– having regard to the European Commission President’s Political Guidelines for the next European Commission 2024-2029, the mission letters to the Commissioners-designate and their replies to the written questionnaires from Parliament, and the hearings conducted in Parliament,

Added:– having regard to the European Pillar of Social Rights,

Changed:– having regard to theits reportresolution byof Mario5 DraghiOctober entitled2016 ‘Theon futurethe ofneed for a European competitiveness:reindustrialisation Apolicy competitivenessin strategylight forof Europe’the (therecent ‘DraghiCaterpillar report’),and Alstom cases,

Added:– having regard to its resolution of 15 January 2013 with recommendations to the Commission on information and consultation of workers, anticipation and management of restructuring,

Added:– having regard to its resolution of 16 December 2021 on democracy at work: a European framework for employees’ participation rights and the revision of the European Works Council Directive,

Added:– having regard to its resolution of 23 November 2023 on job creation – the just transition and impact investments,

Added:– having regard to its resolution of 2 February 2023 with recommendations to the Commission on Revision of European Works Councils Directive,

Added:– having regard to the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) 2015 guidelines for a just transition towards environmentally sustainable economies and societies for all,

Added:– having regard to the La Hulpe Declaration on the future of the European Pillar of Social Rights of 16 April 2024,

Added:– having regard to the Tripartite Declaration for a Thriving European Social Dialogue of January 2024,

Added:– having regard to the Council Recommendation of 16 June 2022 on ensuring a fair transition towards climate neutrality,

Added:– having regard to the Commission communication of 11 December 2019 entitled ‘The European Green Deal’ (COM(2019)0640),

Added:– having regard to Regulation (EU) 2021/1056 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 June 2021 establishing the Just Transition Fund,

Added:– having regard to the Commission communication of 1 July 2020 entitled ‘European Skills Agenda for sustainable competitiveness, social fairness and resilience’ (COM(2020)0274),

Added:– having regard to the opinion of the European Committee of the Regions of 25 May 2023 on zero long-term unemployment: the local and regional perspective,

Added:– having regard to the Commission communication of 1 February 2023 entitled ‘A Green Deal Industrial Plan for the Net-Zero Age’ (COM(2023)0062),

– having regard to Rule 136(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

Change 1

Removed:A. whereas industry currently employs around 35 million people in the EU, generates several million industry-linked jobs and accounts for over 80 % of exports and has a dominant role in attracting foreign direct investments; whereas Europe has strong, centuries-old industrial traditions which provide a firm foundation for the efficient development of the EU’s productive sectors, grounded in the social economy and EU values;

Added:– having regard to the motion for a resolution of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs,

Removed:B. whereas further investment in research and innovation is crucial to boost the productivity and development of European industry; whereas digitalisation and artificial intelligence are vital across all industry sectors, driving competitiveness, fostering job creation and contributing to economic prosperity;

Added:A. whereas the transition to a green, digital and competitive European economy is necessary to maintain the European social model, but can itself only be achieved if people are sufficiently protected from the potential adverse social consequences of major economic changes; whereas protecting the environment and climate is imperative for long-term prosperity and well-being;

Removed:C. whereas a core objective of restructuring processes should be the preservation of jobs and productivity;

Added:B. whereas social dialogue, collective bargaining and strong trade union involvement are essential for ensuring workers’ information and consultation rights during restructuring processes; whereas workers’ involvement through information-sharing, consultation and participation in company decision-making processes is more important than ever to ensure a fair and just transition, competitiveness, and the economic growth of companies and to protect jobs and workers’ collective interests, such as decent working conditions, fair wages and equal treatment; whereas the just transition is about supporting social justice and upward social convergence and ensuring fair burden-sharing, while safeguarding a sustainable, resource-efficient and competitive economy, reaching climate neutrality and fighting climate change;

Removed:D. whereas the automotive industry has traditionally been one of Europe’s vital industrial engines; whereas the automotive supply chain in the EU is currently facing competitive disadvantages compared to non-EU countries, particularly in terms of costs, technology and regulatory constraints;

Added:C. whereas restructuring processes can lead to both job losses and job gains and can include and take different forms, such as internal restructuring, business expansion, closure, bankruptcy, merger/acquisition, offshoring/delocalisation, outsourcing, relocation and reshoring; whereas Council Directives 98/59/EC, 2001/23/EC and 2002/14/EC lay down the information and consultation rights of workers in the event of the restructuring of enterprises;

Removed:E. whereas the current crisis in the automotive industry is self-inflicted and is driven by restrictive EU policies that have failed to consider their social impact on SMEs and businesses;

Added:D. whereas only 40 % of European trade unions report having sufficient resources to represent workers effectively during restructuring processes; whereas trade union representatives trained in restructuring negotiations are 50 % more effective in preserving jobs; whereas, according to Eurofound, a lack of resources and skills, as well as time, have been identified as a key obstacle for social partner engagement in shaping the just transition, particularly at the local and regional levels; whereas the capacity of European Works Councils to influence restructuring processes is found to be limited and needs to be further strengthened;

Removed:F. whereas the decline in EU competitiveness is largely driven by an excessive administrative and regulatory burden; whereas President von der Leyen announced that the Commission would simplify existing legislation and eliminate overlapping rules; whereas the Commission seems to be persisting with excessive administrative and regulatory burdens that are stifling European industries and driving investments out of the EU;

Added:E. whereas it is essential to ensure job creation and decent working conditions, supporting the transition to a sustainable and profitable economy, long-term economic viability and environmental sustainability; whereas the transformation of our industrial base provides an opportunity to strengthen European autonomy, reverse deindustrialisation, create secure and stable jobs and help us meet climate and environmental targets, while protecting workers’ rights and people at the heart of a social Europe; whereas retraining funding for workers made redundant as a result of large-scale restructuring has been provided through the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund, benefitting thousands of European workers;

Removed:G. whereas, as acknowledged in the Draghi report, the Commission has imposed excessively restrictive and unrealistic climate policies, which have directly contributed to the deindustrialisation of the EU, the loss of millions of jobs, and a decline in European competitiveness;

Added:F. whereas companies that are restructuring should prioritise long-term objectives, such as economic sustainability and long-term employment stability, in combination with other objectives such as economic profits, while strengthening trade union involvement and corporate social responsibility in their restructuring plans; whereas small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in particular should be supported in this;

Removed:H. whereas almost a quarter of Europe’s population lives in rural areas and is dependent on individual mobility; whereas affordable and accessible mobility for all EU citizens is a key prerequisite to maintaining social cohesion and freedom of movement, enabling access to jobs, education and healthcare, reducing regional disparities and preventing depopulation;

Added:G. whereas shortages of skilled workers, including vocationally trained experts, in key sectors are a significant obstacle to the competitiveness of the EU economy and its ability to accomplish the green and digital transitions;

Removed:1. Highlights that the EU’s competitiveness is primarily determined by its general business climate; calls therefore for the business environment for SMEs and strategic industries to be improved; calls on the Commission and the Member States to ensure the necessary investments are made in infrastructure to guarantee broad access in all European regions, in particular in rural areas and the regions covered by Article 174 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, as well as those investments necessary to encourage entrepreneurship, create new job opportunities and prevent regional depopulation;

Added:H. whereas the manufacturing industry, including the automotive, steel and microchips and semiconductors sectors, is one of the vital economic pillars in Europe; whereas these sectors provide millions of direct and indirect jobs;

Removed:2. Calls on the Commission to make an urgent assessment of Green Deal policies, in order to determine the best solution for improving the competitiveness of European companies, namely either a revision or a suspension of these policies; underlines the need to prevent the deindustrialisation of the EU and to protect job opportunities within the Union; reiterates the importance of upholding the principle of technological neutrality;

Added:I. whereas it is important to move towards the decarbonisation of road transport, which must be achieved in such a way as to limit job losses in the car industry, and to include all stakeholders and social partners in the transformation process; whereas affected workers should be supported by providing upskilling, reskilling and training opportunities and relevant safety nets in the event of temporary unemployment;

Removed:3. Calls on the Commission to provide an impact assessment of the social impact of Green Deal policies, in particular in industry, in cooperation with social partners; underlines that relocation and offshoring of companies, along with the associated involuntary migration of labour, can lead to irreversible changes and further exacerbate regional disparities; urges the Commission therefore to address the problem of industrial and social ‘desertification’ of certain areas of the Member States;

Added:1. Underlines the principles of the European Pillar of Social Rights and, in particular, principle 5 on secure and adaptable employment, including the right to fair and equal treatment regarding working conditions, principle 7 on information about employment conditions and protection in case of dismissals and principle 8 on social dialogue and involvement of workers; stresses the urgent need for an ambitious competitive European industrial policy with significant investment that will support the services of general interest and innovation, while reducing the administrative burden in Member States, and deliver quality jobs in every region and sector, strengthen social progress and meet climate targets; underlines that this policy should be combined with resilient and strong national public services, such as access to social protection, decent and affordable housing, affordable, efficient and climate neutral transport, affordable and available childcare, elderly care, and support for people with disabilities;

Removed:4. Underlines that in order to limit and hopefully reverse the current occupational crisis – in terms of both the skills crisis and layoffs – which affects both big companies and the supply chain, the loss of jobs and skills should not be viewed as inevitable; calls for the EU and the Member States to implement supporting measures for companies, at both the EU and trade association levels, as well as initiatives aimed at enhancing cross-sectoral skills and improving expertise within various industrial sectors;

Added:2. Recognises that the EU needs to reform its economy in order to maintain its competitiveness and achieve the green and digital transitions, including through a European industrial policy; welcomes the establishment of a European Competitiveness Fund, as envisaged by the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen; reiterates its call for the economic governance framework to be strengthened by a common investment instrument at EU level in order to achieve the EU’s current and future priorities, including the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights; believes that such an instrument should ensure that the necessary resources are available in all relevant sectors for developing an industrial policy and for policies that support the protection and creation of quality jobs and that contribute to upward social convergence; reiterates its previous call on the Commission and the Council to reinforce the European instrument for temporary support to mitigate unemployment risks in an emergency instrument (SURE) to support short-time work schemes, workers’ income and workers who would be temporarily laid off in the context of the green transition, while taking into account the outcome of the final evaluation report and considering that SURE saved 40 million jobs;

Removed:5. Highlights the importance of keeping transformation costs for industry in the EU competitive, as well as the importance of short-term measures to reduce the regulatory burden and ensure consistency, predictability and appropriate timing and consultation for future legislation; calls on the Commission to follow the recommendations of the Draghi report in order to ensure that the EU remains a leader in the global automotive industry, and preserves jobs, R&D facilities and manufacturing within the EU; underlines that the radical shift of production away from the EU’s automotive sector, or the rapid takeover of EU plants and companies by state-subsidised competitors, should be avoided;

Added:3. Highlights that the delivery of a European industrial policy for quality jobs requires the full involvement of social partners and needs to be implemented through social dialogue and collective bargaining; calls on the Commission to present an ambitious quality jobs roadmap and to implement the principles of the European Pillar of Social Rights; calls on the Commission to ensure the full involvement and consultation of social partners in the design and implementation of the upcoming European clean industrial deal and to include the overall objective of ensuring job quality and stability at EU level;

Removed:6. Calls on the Commission to conduct competitiveness checks on every new legislative proposal, taking into account the overall impact of EU legislation on companies, as well as on other EU policies and programmes;

Added:4. Calls for the EU to adopt trade policies that promote and protect quality jobs; stresses that future trade agreements must include labour clauses in line with ILO standards to ensure that global trade protects workers and SMEs;

Removed:7. Stresses that the ability to recruit and retain a skilled workforce is crucial for maintaining a competitive EU industrial sector; considers that education in future-oriented sectors, skills and competencies – particularly in vocational education and training, dual education systems, and digital skills – is essential to addressing current skills shortages; underlines that EU industry and enterprises should play a key role in planning and developing educational and training programmes in order to ease the transition to the labour market; believes that lifelong learning is essential to ensure the efficient and timely upskilling and reskilling of workers;

Added:5. Urges the Commission in the context of the forthcoming revision of the European Public Procurement Directive to further promote collective bargaining and the use of the social clause, and preferential treatment for companies whose workers are covered by collective agreements; underlines that contracting authorities must exclude from public tenders economic operators that have engaged in criminal activities; maintains that public procurement should strategically strengthen corporate social responsibility; highlights the importance of ensuring that European and national funds are used to facilitate the transition to a climate-neutral economy, including by promoting social dialogue and collective bargaining; considers, furthermore, that no EU financial support should go to undertakings that do not comply with the applicable working and employment conditions and/or employer obligations resulting from EU or national labour law or the relevant collective agreements; believes that this support should also be used to promote European industrial competiveness and the creation of quality jobs in the EU and promote collective bargaining and compliance with EU and national labour rights and laws, including decent working conditions; calls for EU funding and State aid by Member States to be aligned with a European industrial policy, in order to offer high-quality jobs, promote collective bargaining, respect of EU labour rights and standards, improve the competitiveness of European businesses and ensure improved working conditions;

Removed:8. Calls on the Commission to reverse the decision to ban combustion engine vehicles as of 2035;

Added:6. Calls for European investments in vital sectors and essential products to strengthen the EU’s strategic autonomy, as well as the digital and green transitions, such as zero-emission transport, renewable energy, clean tech and digital technologies, including artificial intelligence; insists that these investments must fully respect existing legislation on workers’ rights and strengthen community development;

Removed:9. Calls on the Commission to anticipate a safeguard clause to revise the 2025 targets for CO2 emissions; underlines that many companies will not be able to meet the deadlines and that this might lead to another wave of layoffs;

Added:7. Invites the Commission to monitor the trends in restructuring and their impact on employment, using data from tools such as the European Restructuring Monitor and the EU Fair Transition Observatory, which should be launched in 2025, to track the number of jobs created or lost and the companies concerned;

Removed:°