 Hi there. In this video, we're going to talk about how we can achieve a social European Union. Social justice and protection are core values of the EU and enshrined in its charter of fundamental rights, while the Treaty on European Union puts the well-being of all citizens and residents as the ultimate objective of the Union. This means that everyone living in the EU should have access to a decently remunerated job that is also fulfilling, safe and provides them with long-term security as well as allowing for quality leisure time, including time with one's family. That sounds great in theory, but is the EU really delivering on its objective? It's time for a reality check. Almost one in four EU citizens is at risk of poverty or social exclusion. Currently, around 25 million children in the EU are suffering daily from a lack of income and basic services, and the situation is especially bad in southern and eastern Europe. Millions of EU citizens are suffering from energy poverty, which means that they struggle to keep their homes at an adequate temperature or pay the utility bills. At the same time, European women spend almost three times more in unpaid care work than men. Their valuable care and domestic work remains highly unrecognised, unpaid, and puts them at an increased risk of poverty. We lack an EU-wide minimum income scheme to ensure decent living standards for individuals or families who have no other means of financial support, because they cannot work, access a decent job, or are refused unemployment benefits. 20 million Europeans are unemployed, but we lack a coherent and workable unemployment insurance scheme that could function as a backup for national systems if one or more member states are facing an economic crisis. Many of those who do work cannot cover their bills from their wages, and 10% of workers in the EU are at risk of poverty due to precarious work and lack of adequate welfare services. While the 20% wealthiest Europeans concentrate about two-thirds of the net wealth, the share of the 40% poorest is limited to only 2.5%. So, how can we make the EU deliver on its promise to uphold its citizens' well-being? Here are some much needed changes. In 2017, the European Pillar of Social Rights was proclaimed with the support by all EU institutions. Unfortunately, the 20 principles included in this pillar are not legally binding, and it lacks any specific commitments to citizens' rights or minimum standards. The EU and its member states must acknowledge their social responsibilities and implement concrete legislation to ensure that the economic and financial integration of the European Union is accompanied by social integration. This means that even in difficult economic times, core social rights are protected by law and cannot be subordinated to short-term fiscal considerations or the desires of big corporations, big finance, or the extremely wealthy. The EU economy must be transformed in a sustainable way to not only guarantee the social rights of those on the planet now, but also of future generations. We need a fair, healthy and resource-efficient future economy that takes on the challenges of climate change and protects the rights of workers and citizens instead of big corporations. Instead of using the increase of the EU's gross domestic product and jobs as a benchmark, the aim should be the efficient allocation of resources to the production of goods and services that truly enhance well-being while taking environmental and social limits into account. Besides a minimum income, minimum standards of a decent living must be guaranteed for all EU citizens, regardless of the member state they live in. This includes access to affordable quality housing, access to quality education, and access to remunerated leave to take on care work. We need to ensure access to high-quality, affordable public services for persons with disabilities, the elderly, or other people with support needs. Finally, we need a coherent, work-life balance system for carers and parents that will promote gender equality across the EU by providing for paid leaves and incentivising men to use this opportunity. There is a silver lining as discussions around the establishment of a social pillar for Europe have intensified over the past years, but is up to all of us to demand from our policymakers to not only complement economic policies with a set of 20 general principles, but to agree on enforceable rules that transform those principles into guaranteed rights. By truly building a European pillar of social rights, we can ensure social cohesion, solidarity and cooperation between the peoples of Europe for a social future of this union.