Local governments are implementing the European Pillar of Social Rights across Europe, but the continent faces mounting social and economic pressures, from rising living costs and shifting labour markets to deepening inequalities.
As communities adapt to these challenges, the renewed European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan must reflect people’s real needs and priorities, rooted in local realities and ensuring no one is left behind.
What does it mean concretely? Here are cities’ eight recommendations for the next Action Plan:
- A place-based approach is essential to ensure EU social policies reflect local realities and reduce disparities across Europe. The Action Plan should involve cities directly in the design, implementation, and monitoring of social investments, including through Territorial Impact Assessments and stronger partnership mechanisms in processes like the European Semester. Enhanced direct access to EU funding for cities, with safeguards such as mandatory urban chapters and earmarked resources, is crucial to enable them to address local needs effectively and contribute to EU social objectives.
- Promote integrated and person-centred approaches across social policies and EU funding that connect EPSR principles into coherent efforts against poverty and social exclusion. This requires stronger coordination across EU policies, active involvement of those affected by exclusion, and attention to cross-cutting issues like mental health, gender, and discrimination. EU funding mechanisms, particularly under the next Multiannual Financial Framework, should support flexible, joined-up local action that reflects the interconnected nature of social challenges.
- Revise the EU Social Scoreboard and European Semester to provide relevant information on territorial and social realities. Place-sensitive and disaggregated indicators covering housing, poverty, eviction, homelessness, and demographic factors would improve evidence-based policymaking and help target policies more effectively. This granularity ensures that no group or territory is overlooked and strengthens the EU’s ability to respond to local challenges.
- Address poverty in its most extreme forms, including urban poverty, spatial segregation, and energy and transport poverty, with a strong focus on prevention and early intervention. Homelessness should be addressed through a dedicated EU Council Recommendation, reinforced monitoring, and sufficient funding for cities and partners. Long-term investment in essential services, alongside reforms to funding and procurement rules, is crucial to protect vulnerable groups, combat discrimination, and ensure quality social support.
- Strengthen the focus on the housing crisis in the Action Plan by linking with the upcoming Affordable Housing Plan and systematically involving cities in its design and implementation. Expanded public financing, combining grants and loans, should support a range of housing solutions, including renovations, new builds, and energy-efficient upgrades, while ensuring inclusion services. Reforms to State Aid rules and SGEI definitions are needed to enable a flexible, city-led approach that addresses diverse housing needs across income groups and tenure types.
- Strengthen the equal opportunity agenda to fight discrimination at all levels of governance. Existing equality strategies on gender, anti-racism, LGBTIQ, Roma, and disability should be reviewed and strengthened, with cities actively involved in planning and delivery. EU funds, including ESF+ and CERV, should support local and transnational initiatives that address structural barriers and overlapping inequalities, particularly in urban areas where they are most concentrated.
- Reinforce the EU Child Guarantee through stronger multi-level governance, with cities systematically involved in its design, implementation, and monitoring. Mandatory consultation mechanisms and urban-level targets would ensure policies reflect local realities, particularly where child poverty and exclusion are concentrated. Dedicated EU funding, with direct access for cities, is essential to support integrated local investments, especially for children in state care and unaccompanied minors.
- Put people and places at the centre of the EU education, skills, and employment agenda, ensuring access to quality, inclusive learning from early childhood to lifelong education. Strengthening local roles in education governance and addressing labour shortages, especially in early childhood care and social work, will be vital to drive equity, innovation, and competitiveness across Europe.
Eurocities contribution to the consultation on the new Action Plan
The recommendations above are gathered in our latest report, which highlights the crucial role of cities in driving social cohesion and inclusion.
Through initiatives like Eurocities’ InclusiveCities4All campaign, mayors across 62 cities in 23 countries have made over 100 pledges, committing over €15 billion to reducing inequalities and advancing social rights.
Cities are not just implementers. They are partners in shaping Europe’s social agenda. Recognising and harnessing their impact is key to ensuring no one is left behind.
You can read the full report here.
