BUILDING THE WORKFORCE OF TOMORROW: INCLUSIVE PARTICIPATION AND QUALITY JOBS FOR A COMPETITIVE EUROPE

Save the date! Join us in Brussels, on 13 November 2025, for the Conference "Building the workforce of tomorrow: inclusive participation and quality jobs for a competitive Europe". 

Jointly organised by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion (DG EMPL) and the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), this conference will be an opportunity to take note of and discuss key insights from DG EMPL’s two flagship reports: Employment and Social Developments in Europe (ESDE 2025), and Labour Market and Wage Developments in Europe (LMWD 2025, forthcoming).

The event will bring together stakeholders from EU and national institutions, social partners, civil society organisations and academia, to exchange their views on crucial questions related to:

• how to unlock the potential of people that are underrepresented in the labour market (ESDE 2025 - discussed in session 1 – 14:30 – 15:45);
• how to promote quality jobs, including fair wages, and a competitive economy (LMWD 2025 – discussed in session 2 – 16:15 – 17:30).

What to expect

This joint conference will enable:

• taking note of the lessons from both ESDE and LMWD 2025 reports
• engaging directly with international experts and the audience on these key topics
• networking during the welcoming light lunch starting at 13:00 and/or the cocktail reception starting at 18:00

Highlights

European Commission’s Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion analyses labour market and social developments feeding into annual flagship reports including the Employment and Social Developments in Europe (ESDE) review and the Labour Market and Wage Developments in Europe (LMWD) review.

• The 2025 edition of the ESDE review focuses on supporting participation among groups underrepresented in the labour market. The report shows that 31 million Europeans do not participate in the labour market. These are women, older people and migrants.  Attracting these groups into employment would not only alleviate labour shortages but also address poverty and social exclusion.
• The 2025 edition of the LMWD report assesses recent developments in the labour market against the backdrop of structural transformations, slower economic growth and geopolitical tensions. It highlights the key challenges in boosting employment, while ensuring adequate wages and competitiveness of the EU economy.  The report also examines how well-designed job retention schemes can support employment and incomes during economic crises.

Why attend?

Participants will be informed about the latest facts and figures in the area of employment and social developments in the EU, as provided by these two reports.

The discussion will then address the following questions:

• What barriers prevent underrepresented groups from joining the labour market?
• What policies can better integrate women, migrants, persons with disabilities into employment?
• How to better extend the working lives of older workers?
• How to boost employment, wage adequacy and competitiveness at the same time?
• How can job retention schemes be best designed to safeguard employment during crises?

The audience will also gain valuable insights into the many questions these issues are raising for key players, employers, employees and institutions alike, and how these could be best addressed at EU and national levels.

Save the date!

Mark your calendars for 13 November 2025! 

Don’t forget to register, via this link.