Auxiliary Bishop Joseph Galea-Curmi presided over the annual spring meeting of the Social Affairs Commission of the COMECE, a Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union focusing on social issues. The two-day conference, which was held in Brussels, discussed themes centred on “Integral Human Development in Geopolitical and Technological Transitions”, through various interventions by keynote speakers, panel discussions, and exchanges. In the light of Catholic Social Teaching, especially the promotion of human dignity and the common good, the meeting discussed the EU Anti-Poverty Strategy, the Housing Crisis and the EU Affordable Housing Plan, the Quality Jobs Act, and the Future of Work – Ethical and Policy Perspectives.
During the Conference, major transformations were addressed to provide a broader framework for the Commission’s discussions. These included rapid technological changes, increasing geopolitical tensions and global instability, demographic change and social pressures, a changing political context within the European Union, and a growing reflection on the ethical implications of technological and economic transformation.
Concerning the EU Anti-Poverty Strategy, discussions were centred on a non-legislative framework expected to be published in May 2026, outlining the struggle to eradicate poverty and social exclusion by 2050, building on the 2030 targets of the European Pillar of Social Rights. The Strategy is expected to explore how the EU resources can better support Member States in addressing poverty and social exclusion in the context of challenges being faced today. The Commission reviewed the European Affordable Housing Plan, presented by the European Commission in December 2025 and currently entering its implementation phase, which marks a shift toward EU action on housing through regulatory simplification, state aid flexibility, and a new ‘Housing Shield’ to protect citizens from rising costs, through increased public and private supply. The plan aims to address short-term pressures on housing markets while encouraging structural reforms and implement measures for people particularly affected by the housing crisis.
The meeting also discussed a two-track initiative: a non-binding Quality Jobs Roadmap and a forthcoming binding Act. The Roadmap aims to monitor job quality, ensure social peace during industrial restructuring and track how the greening of the economy affects local employment. The Quality Jobs Act ensures that AI is used for people management. It establishes joint and several liability, ensuring that lead companies are responsible for labour rights violations committed by their subcontractors and recognises occupational mental and digital health by ensuring ‘The Right to Disconnect’. The act also strengthens the mandate of the European Labour Authority (ELA) to conduct cross-border inspections, preventing businesses from using cheaper labour from other countries to circumvent local regulations and lower labour standards (social dumping).
The meeting of the Social Affairs Commission of COMECE also discussed the draft document on the Future of Work – Ethical and Policy Perspectives. After two years of high-level discussions with various organisations, including the Federation of Catholic Family Associations in Europe (FAFCE), as representatives of grassroots families, this publication is expected to be released shortly.
