Committee on European Affairs: socio-economic implications of the pandemic require a well-balanced social security policy

Press release, 1 June 2021

On 31 May – 1 June 2021, Laima Andrikienė, Domas Griškevičius, and Marius Matijošaitis, Deputy Chairs of the Seimas Committee on European Affairs, and Tomas Tomilinas, its member, are taking part in the remote LXV Conference of Parliamentary Committees for Union Affairs of Parliaments of the European Union (COSAC).

The meeting of 31 May discussed the achievements of the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the European Union and the European Social Model, which would bring about the triple economic, digital and climate transition.

While speaking on behalf of the Seimas delegation, Ms Andrikienė thanked Portugal for coordinating the response to the COVID-19 pandemic and welcomed the agreement reached on the EU Digital COVID Certificate and efforts to speed up donating COVID-19 vaccines to countries in need. The Lithuanian representative emphasised the objectives of the digital green transition and noted that due to the complicated pandemic situation it was particularly important to reinforce the European social dimension. Lithuania, therefore, is happy about the outcomes of the Porto Social Summit, which will accelerate the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights thus ensuring inclusive economic recovery.

Photo by Olga Posaškova, Office of the Seimas

Mr Tomilinas, Member of the Committee, stressed that national social agendas must be in line with the objectives of the European Union. Green and digital transition will not only open new opportunities for our citizens but also present challenges. It is therefore important to pay due attention to upskilling and reskilling of our people. ‘We should pursue these objectives together,’ the politician underlined.

The Conference sessions focused on the vaccine production and the pace of vaccination, stressed the importance of the COVAX initiative to ensure that low and medium-income economies have fair and equitable access to safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines. The Conference also emphasised the external dimension of the EU’s migration policy, importance of the implementation of the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement, fair economic and digital transition, economic recovery, and welcomed the completion of the ratification procedure of the Own Resources Decision by all national Parliaments.

The participants of the COSAC stressed how important it was now to implement the European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan. The essence of the European Social Model is to ensure recovery, stability and quality jobs following the pandemic. Particular focus was given to youth unemployment after the pandemic and adequate response to that. A representative of the European Youth Forum expressed her hope that once the objectives of the European Pillar of Social Rights were implemented by 2030 and we look back together we would be able to say that ‘we succeeded in stopping the second scarred generation and the policies were put in place to allow young people to claim their social rights and create Europe that is stronger’.

The Conference of Parliamentary Committees for Union Affairs (COSAC) is a Conference of the committees of the national Parliaments of the European Union Member States dealing with the European Union affairs as well as representatives of the European Parliament.

The Conference that is held every six months may submit any contribution it deems appropriate for the attention of the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission. It promotes the exchange of information and best practice between national Parliaments and the European Parliament.

Portugal is holding the Presidency of the Council of the EU from 1 January 2021 to 30 June 2021.

Aistė Pikiotienė, Adviser, Office of the Committee on European Affairs, tel. +370 5 239 6864