Fighting child poverty must remain central to Europe’s social agenda, the Cyprus presidency of the EU Council said on Monday, as ministers also opened discussions on how artificial intelligence is reshaping the workplace across the bloc.
Meeting at the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs (EPSCO) Council in Brussels, EU governments adopted conclusions urging stronger efforts and funding to tackle child poverty, while also debating labour market changes linked to AI, skills shortages and housing pressures.
Cyprus labour minister Marinos Moushouttas said the presidency was seeking to ensure that economic competitiveness goes hand in hand with social inclusion.
“We firmly believe that in the core of a competitive Europe, we need to have welfare for all citizens.”
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Breaking the cycle of childhood poverty
The Council conclusions adopted earlier in the day highlight the long-term social and economic consequences of poverty in childhood and call on EU countries and the European Commission to strengthen policies aimed at improving children’s wellbeing. EU Perspectives reported on the outcomes earlier.
Cyprus deputy minister of social welfare Clea Hadjistephanou Papaellina said tackling disadvantage early in life requires sustained European cooperation and adequate funding.
“Breaking the cycle of disadvantage must be a collective European effort… By ensuring adequate funding and targeted policies, we can give every child a fair start and strengthen our Union for generations to come.”
According to figures cited in the conclusions, the intergenerational transmission of disadvantage is estimated to cost the EU around 3.4 per cent of GDP each year.
During the press conference following the meeting, Mr Moushouttas stressed that the impact of child poverty extends beyond individual families.
“Children’s poverty has an impact not only for the children themselves but the whole society.”
Ministers also underlined the importance of early childhood education and care, which they described as essential for improving long-term social and economic outcomes, particularly for vulnerable children.
AI and the future of work
Alongside the focus on children, ministers also discussed how artificial intelligence is increasingly shaping labour markets, particularly through automated management systems and workplace monitoring tools.
European Commission Executive Vice-President Roxana Mînzatu said governments broadly agreed that the use of algorithmic management must be accompanied by safeguards for workers.
“We need to ensure fairness, transparency, accountability when we have automated monitoring and decision making systems that are used in the workplace.”
At the same time, she said artificial intelligence could bring benefits to both companies and workers if used responsibly.
The European Commission is preparing a Quality Jobs Act that could require employers to inform workers when algorithmic management systems are used, give them access to workplace data generated about them and ensure human oversight of automated decisions.
Toward a common EU framework
As member states begin developing their own rules on algorithmic management, the Commission is also considering whether a common EU approach may be needed.
“We need to discuss whether on this topic we want 27 different member state approaches… or we share a common vision and deploy a common European framework.”
Ms Mînzatu said consultations with European social partners are currently under way as the Commission prepares the initiative.
Skills and housing on the agenda
Ministers also endorsed a recommendation on human capital development, aimed at addressing skills mismatches across European labour markets by promoting training and upskilling.
Housing affordability was another topic of discussion, with ministers exchanging views on how demographic change and labour mobility are affecting housing demand across the EU.
The Cyprus presidency said the debate would contribute to Council conclusions on housing expected in June.
