EU ministers meeting in Luxembourg approved Council conclusions titled "equality as a driver of economic growth and competitiveness". At the same Employment and Social Policy Council meeting, they also adopted a recommendation on tackling housing exclusion, including homelessness.
Labour and social policy minister Natalia Efremova spoke for Bulgaria, the ministry's press office said.
Equality, basic human rights and the fight against discrimination matter for competitive economic growth, she said. Efremova said Bulgarian society sees clear and measurable benefits from fighting discrimination.
The minister said steps to bring people shut out of the labour market back to work are needed to beat poverty and social exclusion, and to help the EU deal with a shortage of workers. She said the EU needs shared goals and strong coordination, but also constant attention to the difficulties each person faces. She named low skills and education, long-term unemployment, disability, caring duties and limited access to services.
The Quality Jobs Act is a future law the European Commission plans to propose. Efremova said Bulgaria expects it to bring not only ambitious political pledges but also concrete legal solutions to the challenges facing the future of work. She added that artificial intelligence algorithms also need to be managed so that they keep a balance between new technology and the protection of workers.
The minister backed an update of the EU's legal framework on health and safety at work. She said the rules should cover work with screen equipment, new forms of work and the protection of workers as jobs go digital.