Hearings
A committee is permitted to organise a hearing with experts, where this is considered essential to its work on a particular subject. Hearings can also be held jointly by two or more committees. Most committees organise regular hearings, as they allow them to hear from experts and hold discussions on the key issues. On this page you will find all the available information relating to committee hearings, including programmes and contributions from speakers.
On 17 July EMPL Committee will hold a hearing on "Future-proof jobs and skills training for the digital and green transitions". Members will discuss how vital it is to ensure that the current and future workforce is equipped with necessary skills to fully reap the benefits of the green and digital transitions.
On 22 March, the EMPL Committee will hold a public hearing on “Working conditions of firefighters”. The World Health Organisation recently re-classified firefighters as a profession that is vulnerable to carcinogenics. This hearing will inform the EMPL committee’s work in various areas, and in particular the ongoing revision of the Asbestos at Work Directive.
On 6 February, EMPL Committee will hold a public hearing to evaluate the situation of workers and all people in the Member States suffering from the rising cost of living. This will bring to light the measures, which are /could be taken at both Member State and EU level in order to effectively address the social and employment consequences of the rising cost of living.
On 7 November, EMPL committee will hold a public hearing to debate on the implementation of the child guarantee national action plans, which should guarantee children in need with free access to early childhood education and care, education and school based activities, healthcare and effective access to adequate housing and healthy nutrition.
On 25 October 2022 members of the EMPL Committee will hold a hearing on Uber with the participation of Mark MacGann, Whistleblower, former Head of Public Policy of Uber, as well as other speakers. The hearing will give an overview on the situation of Uber drivers in Europe, and on the extent to which Uber's lobbying activities have affected their labour and social rights.
On 24 March 2022, the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality together with the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs are organising a joint public hearing on A European Care Strategy - How to improve the lives of the carers and their dependants".
The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically affected our labour markets and brought permanent changes to the way we work.
The EMPL Committee will organise a hearing on the ‘Application of the Employment Equality Directive and the Racial Equality Directive’ on 1 December following the publication of a Commission Report on the topic on 19 March 2021.
On 27 May (13.45 - 15.45), the EMPL Committee will hold the Hearing “Amazon attacks on fundamental workers' rights and freedoms: freedom of assembly and association and the right to collective bargain and action”.
On 25 May, AIDA and EMPL Committees will organise a hearing on AI and the labour market, in which AI's impact on the future of skills will also be discussed.
On 22 April 2021, the EMPL and FEMM committees organized a joint hearing on the Commission proposal for a Pay Transparency Directive.
On 18 March 2021 (from 09:00 to 11:00), the European Parliament's Committee of Employment and Social Affairs held a hearing on "The Future Strategic Framework on Health and Safety at work, asbestos included" for the forthcoming years 2021-2027. As the previous EU Strategic Framework on Health and Safety at work has expired by the end of 2020, the European Commission has announced a new framework aiming at maintaining and improving high OSH standards for workers across the Union in 2021.