Council calls for action to address remaining gaps
The Council approved conclusions on social protection for the self-employed in implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights.
Self-employed workers are key players in European economy and innovation. Therefore, we need to ensure and improve their social protection coverage across Europe in order to ensure decent working and living conditions for them. Now, more than ever, we need a socially robust and a socially oriented Europe.
José Luis Escrivá, Spain’s acting Minister for Inclusion, Social Security and Migration
In over half the Member States the self-employed were not covered by all branches of social protection in 2022. For example, more than 15 million self-employed people in the EU do not have access to unemployment benefits.
With the emergence of new ways of working, such as remote work, telework and platform work, ensuring social protection for the self-employed is becoming increasingly relevant. Also, many people combine employment and self-employment or even switch between them.
Against this background, the Council invites member states to close any remaining gaps in their national schemes in order to improve access of the self-employed to social protection, with a focus on unemployment and sickness benefits. Member states should also ensure an adequate level of protection to the self-employed, in order to guarantee a decent standard of living and prevent poverty at work.
Further measures include increasing the transparency of social protection systems and ensuring adequate data collection at national level as regards social protection measures.
Background
On 8 November 2019, the Council adopted the recommendation on access to social protection for workers and the self-employed. The COVID-19 pandemic, the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine and the energy crisis have increased the need for social policies that protect the most vulnerable groups.
However, according to the Commission report on the implementation of the Council recommendation, many differences in access to social protection still exist across the member states. Building on the Council recommendation and the Commission’s report on its implementation, the Council conclusions approved today seek to ensure better access to social protection for self-employed workers.