The current EU Commis­sioner for Employ­ment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility, Mari­anne Thyssen, wants to continue the work of Ex EU Commis­sioner Andor in intro­ducing a Euro­pean unem­ploy­ment insur­ance scheme.

The European Commission had already announced plans to introduce a European unemployment insurance scheme back in 2014. Former EU Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, Lazlo Andor, said at the time that such a concept creates economic stability and that during a downturn it can stimulate an economy in the short term. This has been given consideration by the presidents of the European Commission, the Euro Summit 2014, the Eurogroup, the ECB and the European Parliament. The Five Presidents’ Report, published on 22 June 2015, emphasises that national stabilisation mechanisms are not sufficient enough to effectively react to unexpected economic shocks. Thus, the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) is to be completed by 2025. European unemployment insurance would therefore be the first pillar of social-political integration in the EU. 

 

The current EU Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility, Marianne Thyssen, wants to continue the work of Andor in introducing a European unemployment insurance scheme. In her written reply to a question asked by MEP Enrico Gasbarra, Thyssen announced that the European Commission is working with experts on a concrete proposal based on the feasibility study published on 29 September 2016. The results will be published in a White Paper planned for 2017. Only after that will the Commission consider carrying out a consultation process and impact assessment.