Statistics and research results show that in recent decades, before the coronavirus pandemic, the EU's labour market witnessed an increase in female employment rates. Women's employment seems to have been more resilient than men's to the economic and financial crisis in 2008. The coronavirus crisis, however, has had a harsher impact on women than on men when it comes to the labour market.

EPRS policy podcast - Recent trends in female employment

Fourteen percent of the EU’s workforce is self-employed and the coronavirus has hit them especially hard. Here is how the EU has helped.

This is what Europe does for self-employed people during the coronavirus crisis

The 2008 crisis continues to have an impact. It is one of the reasons why many young people are likely to experience difficulties in finding a job and becoming independent. Here are three things that Europe does to help them.

This is what Europe does for young people not in education, employment or training

The constitutive meetings of the European Parliament's standing committees and subcommittees take place in Brussels on 10 July 2019, following the appointment of their members in the plenary sitting of 3-4 July. During the meetings, each committee and subcommittee will elect its respective bureau, made up of a Chair and Vice-Chairs, for a two-and-a-half year mandate. The newly set up committees will then start holding their regular meetings during the week of 22 July.

EMPL - Committee on Employment and Social Affairs

The European Parliamentary Week (EPW) brings together Parliamentarians from all over the European Union to discuss economic, budgetary and social matters.

The European Parliamentary Week has been held since 2015. In line with the established practice, the European Parliamentary Week consists of the European Semester Conference and the Interparliamentary Conference on Stability, Economic Coordination and Governance in the European Union. This event also includes three interparliamentary committee meetings organised by the European Parliament’s Committees on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON), on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL) and on Budgets (BUDG).

European Parliamentary Week

Since the onset of the economic crisis, the EP has strongly supported the creation of a Youth Guarantee scheme, which was finally adopted in April 2013 as the Youth Employment Initiative (YEI).

The Youth Guarantee is a commitment by all Member States to ensure that all young people under the age of 25 years receive a good quality offer of employment, continued education, apprenticeship, traineeship, within a period of four months of becoming unemployed or leaving formal education.

The Youth Guarantee has become a reality across the EU and has helped to improve the lives of millions of young Europeans.

Youth Employment

Valdis Dombrovskis, born on 5 August 1971 in Riga, is a Latvian politician. He was a Member of the European Parliament from 2004 to 2009. Dombrovskis is Executive Vice-President-Commissioner designate for&nbsp;An Economy that Works for People

After the hearing by the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON) and the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL) of the European Parliament, the committees prepare an evaluation letter on the candidate. Parliament is expected to vote on the new Commission as a whole on 23 October.

Hearing of Valdis DOMBROVSKIS, Executive Vice-President-designate

Helena Dalli, born on 29 September 1962, is a Maltese politician.

After the hearing by the Committees on Women's Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM) and Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL) of the European Parliament, the committees prepare an evaluation letter on the candidate. Parliament is expected to vote on the new Commission as a whole on 23 October.

Hearing of Helena DALLI, Commissioner-designate, Equality

Nicolas Schmit, born on 10 December 1953 in Differdange, is a Luxembourgish politician. He has been serving as Member of the European Parliament since 2019.

After the hearing by the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL) of the European Parliament, the committee prepares an evaluation letter on the candidate. Parliament is expected to vote on the new Commission as a whole on 23 October.

Hearing of Nicolas SCHMIT, Commissioner-designate, Jobs

Parliament wants all workers to benefit from minimum rights on working conditions, including those on non-traditional contracts.

On 16th April 2019 MEPs approved minimum rights for workers with on-demand, voucher-based or platform jobs, like with Uber or Deliveroo. The new rules include: minimum rights agreed for workers in casual or short-term employment; working conditions that must be made clear to workers on their first day on the job, and probationary periods that may not be longer than six months.

How is the EU fighting youth unemployment? With more than 26 million Europeans out of work, unemployment is one of the biggest issues that Europe is facing today.

#EUelections2019 - Employment

Roxana Mînzatu was Romanian Minister for European Funds in 2019. From January 2022 until July 2024, she served as Secretary of State coordinating the Department for Integrated Evaluation and Monitoring of Public Funded Programs. She is Member of the European Parliament since July 2024 but now, she is Executive Vice-President-designate of the European Commission for People, Skills and Preparedness, for the von der Leyen Commission II.

Confirmation hearing of Roxana MÎNZATU, Executive Vice-President designate, People, Skills and Preparedness

Dan Jørgensen was Member of the EP (2004-2013), Danish Minister for Food, Agriculture and Fisheries (2013-2015), Minister for Climate, Energy and Utilities (2019-2022) and Minister for Development Cooperation and Global Climate Policy since 2022. He is now European Commissioner-designate for Energy and Housing, for the von der Leyen Commission II.

Confirmation hearing of Dan JØRGENSEN, Commissioner-designate, Energy and Housing

Danish Presidency Ambassador Soren JACOBSEN  meets with EMPL Chair Li ANDERSSON

Danish Presidency Ambassador Soren JACOBSEN meets with EMPL Chair Li ANDERSSON

EMPL - Hearing on Working conditions in Amazon warehouses

Press point by Nela RIEHL (Greens/EFA, Germany), Chair of CULT,and Li ANDERSSON (The Left, Finland), Chair of EMPL, following the confirmation hearing of Roxana MÎNZATU, Executive Vice-President for People, Skills and Preparedness

Press point by Li ANDERSSON (The Left, Finland), Chair of EMPL, following the confirmation hearing of Dan JØRGENSEN, Commissioner for Energy and Housing

Committee on Employment and Social Affairs

EMPL

Joint Committee on Budgetary Control and Committee on Employment and Social Affairs - Meeting with DG REGIO on Control and Assurance in Cohesion policy with the Joint Audit Directorate of DG REGIO and DG EMPL

CONT

Committee Constitutive meeting on Employment and Social Affairs

Interinstitutional Body for Ethical Standards (debate)

Pre-enlargement reforms and policy reviews (debate)

Framework of measures for strengthening Europe’s net-zero technology products manufacturing ecosystem (Net Zero Industry Act) (debate)

Resumption of the sitting

Statements by the President

Voting time

Plenary session

Opening of the sitting

Conclusions of the recent European Council meetings, in particular on a new European Competitiveness deal and the EU strategic agenda 2024-2029 (debate)

Effective coordination of economic policies and multilateral budgetary surveillance - Speeding up and clarifying the implementation of the excessive deficit procedure – amending Regulation - Requirements for budgetary frameworks of the Member States – amending Directive

Combating violence against women and domestic violence (debate)

European Disability Card and European Parking Card for persons with disabilities - European Disability Card and European Parking Card for persons with disabilities for third country nationals legally residing in a Member State (joint debate - Disability cards)

Approval of the minutes of the previous sitting

EU’s response to the repeated killing of humanitarian aid workers, journalists and civilians by the Israel Defence Forces in the Gaza Strip (debate)

The use of Russian frozen assets to support Ukraine’s victory and reconstruction (debate)

Delegated acts (Rule 111(6)) (action taken)

Corrigenda (Rule 241)(action taken)

Attempts to reintroduce a foreign agent law in Georgia and its restrictions on civil society (debate)

Situation in Haiti (debate)

Withdrawal of the Union from the Energy Charter Treaty (debate)

EU-Egypt strategic and comprehensive partnership and agreements with key third countries (debate)

Production and marketing of plant reproductive material - Production and marketing of forest reproductive material (joint debate - Plant and forest reproductive material)

Establishing the Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans (debate)

Explanations of vote

Agenda of the next sitting

Approval of the minutes of the sitting

Resumption of the session

Approval of the minutes of the previous sittings

20240422-0900-PLENARY

Composition of political groups

Negotiations ahead of Parliament’s first reading (Rule 71) (action taken)

Delegated acts (Rule 111(6))

Signing of acts adopted in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure (Rule 79)

Order of business

Preventing plastic pellet losses to reduce microplastic pollution (debate)

Common rules promoting the repair of goods (debate)

Prohibiting products made with forced labour on the Union market (debate)

Amending Directive 2011/36/EU on preventing and combating trafficking in human beings and protecting its victims (debate)

Closure of the sitting

Composition of Parliament

Verification of credentials

20240410-0900-PLENARY

Composition of committees and delegations

Negotiations ahead of Parliament’s first reading (Rule 71)

Delegated acts (Rule 111(6))(action taken)

Announcement by the President (deadline for tabling questions for written answer (Rule 138))

Russia's undemocratic presidential elections and their illegitimate extension to the occupied territories (debate)

New allegations of Russian interference in the European Parliament, in the upcoming EU elections and the impact on the Union (debate)

Chinese police activity in Europe (debate)

Ongoing hearings under Article 7(1) TEU regarding Hungary to strengthen Rule of Law and its budgetary implications (debate)

Discharge 2022 (debate)

One-minute speeches on matters of political importance

Delegation to the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly - Meeting of the Committee on Social Affairs, Employment, Education, Culture and Civil Society

Joint committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs and committee on Employment and Social Affairs

LIBE

EMPL - Public hearing on ' Developing a new EU anti-poverty strategy '

EMPL HOUS - Hearing on ' Housing Rights, Property Rights and Tenants Protections: Addressing Evictions and Homelessness '

EMPL - Election of the 4th Vice Chair

EMPL - Hearing on ' Artificial intelligence at the workplace '

EMPL Committee delegation mission to Ruhr area, Germany

EMPL - Public hearing on ' Volunteers in emergency services and their legal challenges: cases of cross-border firefighters '

EMPL - Exchange of views with the Commission on the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities concluding observations on the EU

EMPL Exchange of view with Teresa Ribera Commissioner for a Clean, Just and Competitive Transition)

EMPL HOUS Interparliamentary Committee Meeting -  Affordable Housing for al : Policy Approaches and Best Practice Cases in the Member States – sharing success stories and considering new strategies

EMPL JURI joint hearing on the protection and promotion of rights of children placed in alternative care

EMPL - Exchange of Views on the situation of young carers in Europe

EMPL - Exchange of view with Hadja Lahbib, Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management

EMPL - Exchange of views with the Executive Directors of the Agencies under the EMPL remit: Cedefop, Eurofound, EU-OSHA, ETF and ELA

EP Plenary session - Social and employment aspects of restructuring processes: the need to protect jobs and workers’ rights

EMPL - Exchange of view with Roxana Mînzatu, Executive Vice-President for Social Rights and Skills, Quality Jobs and Preparedness

European Parliamentary Week 2025 - EMPL Interparliamentary Committee Meeting

MEPs vote on Parliament’s calendar of part-sessions - 2026; ZOVKO INTA EU-Norway Agreement: modification of concessions on all the tariff-rate quotas included in EU Schedule CLXXV as a consequence of the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union; (A10-0013/2025) MINCHEV LIBE Agreement between Canada and the European Union on the transfer and processing of Passenger Name Record (PNR) data; (A10-0022/2025) NAVARRETE ROJAS ECON; (A10-0023/2025) ABADÍA JOVER EMPL; MRs - Continuing the unwavering EU support for Ukraine, after three years of Russia’s war of aggression (Debate: 11/02/2025); MRs - White paper on the future of European defence; MRs - The need for EU support towards a just transition and reconstruction in Syria

Votes

BALLARÍN CEREZA IMCO Discontinuation of the European ODR Platform SCHNEIDER ENVI Deforestation Regulation: provisions relating to the date of application (Vote: 14/11/2024) VRECIONOVÁ AGRI Specific measures under the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) for Member States affected by natural disasters VRECIONOVÁ AGRI Forest reproductive material of the ‘tested’ category NEMEC BUDG Mobilisation of the European Globalisation AdjustmentFund: application EGF/2024/002 BE/Limburg machinery and paper - Belgium BUŁA, OMARJEE EMPL/REGI

Voting Session

&lt;p>From 4th to 12th November 2024, the European Parliament held the Confirmation hearings of the Commissioners-designate, in Brussels. For 3 hours, MEPs quizzed the candidates for the College of Commissioners on their priorities ahead of the new mandate given by Ursula von der LEYEN, President of the European Commission. This clip highlights the best pictures from the 26 confirmation hearings.&lt;/p>

Highlights of the hearings of the Commissioners-designate (2024)

Nela RIEHL (Greens/EFA, DE) and Li ANDERSSON (The Left, FL), Chair of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL) hold a press point after the Confirmation hearing of Roxana MÎNZATU, Executive Vice-President-designate of the European Commission for People, Skills and Preparedness. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Press Point by Nela RIEHL (Greens/EFA, DE) and Li ANDERSSON (The Left, FL), Chair of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL)

Roxana MÎNZATU, Executive Vice-President-designate of the European Commission for People, Skills and Preparedness, of the VON DER LEYEN Commission is heard by the Committees on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL) and Culture and Education (CULT). Closing statement by Commissioner-designate and Committees Chairs. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery. .

Confirmation hearing of Roxana MÎNZATU, Executive Vice-President-designate of the European Commission for People, Skills and Preparedness: Closing statement by Commissioner-designate and Committees Chairs

Roxana MÎNZATU, Executive Vice-President-designate of the European Commission for People, Skills and Preparedness, of the VON DER LEYEN Commission is heard by the Committees on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL) and Culture and Education (CULT). Questions and answers.

Confirmation hearing of Roxana MÎNZATU, Executive Vice-President-designate of the European Commission for People, Skills and Preparedness: Questions / Answers (part 5 - Political groups in reverse order)

Confirmation hearing of Roxana MÎNZATU, Executive Vice-President-designate of the European Commission for People, Skills and Preparedness: Questions / Answers (part 4 - Invited committees)

Confirmation hearing of Roxana MÎNZATU, Executive Vice-President-designate of the European Commission for People, Skills and Preparedness: Questions / Answers (part 3)

Confirmation hearing of Roxana MÎNZATU, Executive Vice-President-designate of the European Commission for People, Skills and Preparedness: Questions / Answers (part 2)

Confirmation hearing of Roxana MÎNZATU, Executive Vice-President-designate of the European Commission for People, Skills and Preparedness: Questions / Answers (part 1 - Political groups coordinators)

Roxana MÎNZATU, Executive Vice-President-designate of the European Commission for People, Skills and Preparedness, of the VON DER LEYEN Commission is heard by the Committees on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL) and Culture and Education (CULT). Opening statement by the Executive Vice-President-deisgnate. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery. .

Confirmation hearing of Roxana MÎNZATU, Executive Vice-President-designate of the European Commission for People, Skills and Preparedness: Opening statement by the Executive Vice-President-deisgnate

Roxana MÎNZATU, Executive Vice-President-designate of the European Commission for People, Skills and Preparedness, of the VON DER LEYEN Commission is heard by the Committees on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL) and Culture and Education (CULT). Ambiance of the arrivals and opening statements by Li ANDERSSON (The Left, FI), EMPL Committee Chair and Nela RIEHL (Greens/EFA, DE), CULT Committee Chair .

Confirmation hearing of Roxana MÎNZATU, Executive Vice-President-designate of the European Commission for People, Skills and Preparedness: arrivals and opening statements by Li ANDERSSON (The Left, FI) and Nela RIEHL (Greens/EFA)

Ambience shots of the Confirmation hearing of Roxana MÎNZATU, Executive Vice-President-designate of the European Commission for People, Skills and Preparedness. The hearing is organised by the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs and by the Committee on Culture and Education.

Confirmation hearing of Roxana MÎNZATU, Executive Vice-President-designate of the European Commission for People, Skills and Preparedness: atmosphere shots

Stéphane SÉJOURNÉ, Executive Vice-President-designate of the European Commission for Prosperity and Industrial Strategy, of the VON DER LEYEN Commission is heard by the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE), Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO), Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI), Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs of the European Parliament. Committee on International Trade (INTA), Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL), Committee on Budgets (BUDG), and Committee on Legal Affairs (JURI) participate as joint committees. At the end of the confirmation hearing, Stéphane SÉJOURNÉ makes a closing statement followed by the one from the Committee Chair. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Confirmation hearing of Stéphane SÉJOURNÉ, Executive Vice-President-designate of the European Commission for Prosperity and Industrial Strategy: closing statement by Stéphane SÉJOURNÉ and Committee Chair

Stéphane SÉJOURNÉ, Executive Vice-President-designate of the European Commission for Prosperity and Industrial Strategy, of the VON DER LEYEN Commission is heard by the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE), Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO), Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI), Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs of the European Parliament. Committee on International Trade (INTA), Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL), Committee on Budgets (BUDG), and Committee on Legal Affairs (JURI) participate as joint committees. During the confirmation hearing, Stéphane SÉJOURNÉ answers questions by committee members.

Confirmation hearing of Stéphane SÉJOURNÉ, Executive Vice-President-designate of the European Commission for Prosperity and Industrial Strategy: questions / answers (part 5)

Confirmation hearing of Stéphane SÉJOURNÉ, Executive Vice-President-designate of the European Commission for Prosperity and Industrial Strategy: questions / answers (part 4)

Confirmation hearing of Stéphane SÉJOURNÉ, Executive Vice-President-designate of the European Commission for Prosperity and Industrial Strategy: questions / answers (part 3)

Confirmation hearing of Stéphane SÉJOURNÉ, Executive Vice-President-designate of the European Commission for Prosperity and Industrial Strategy: questions / answers (part 2)

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