The TransEuroWorkS project was presented at a significant in-person event focused on the EU’s green industrial transition and its implications for labour markets and human wellbeing. The event brought together experts to explore how EU policies can align green industrial goals with social sustainability, ensuring that the shift to greener industries benefits both the environment and people’s lives.
As the European Commission prepares for its next political cycle, creating clean and competitive industries is a key priority. However, as highlighted in the Political Guidelines, the transition to green industries will bring significant changes to the workforce, and strategies solely focused on green jobs and skills may not fully address the environmental and social challenges that accompany these changes.
The event explored how eco-social policies, which bridge the gap between environmental and social strategies, could provide solutions to create more sustainable and just labour markets. Key insights were shared on how policy integration can foster both green growth and social equity, ensuring that the green transition is not only environmentally sustainable but also socially inclusive.
The speakers, moderated and introduced by our partner Patricia Urban (CEPS), Speakers included Francesca Chapman (CEPS), who presented on creating sustainable labour markets, and a distinguished panel including Frank Siebern-Thomas (European Commission), Matteo Mandelli (Sciences Po), Mehtap Akgüç (ETUI), and Isabelle Brachet (CAN Europe), who discussed policy options to address the interlinked environmental and societal challenges of the green industrial shift.
The TransEuroWorkS project played an important role in this discussion, contributing valuable research on the impact of labour market policies within the context of the green transition. By exploring how flexible working arrangements and social policies can be integrated with environmental strategies, the project aims to help shape a more sustainable and inclusive future for workers across Europe.
This event demonstrated the growing recognition of the need for integrated policies that consider both the ecological and social dimensions of the green transition. It provided an important platform for dialogue between policymakers, researchers, and stakeholders in shaping Europe’s future labour markets.