An EU Quality Jobs Act must enhance competitiveness while maintaining adequate social protection

In July 2026, the European Commission launched the second stage EU Social Partner Consultation on a potential EU Quality Jobs Act with a view to launching a proposal for an EU Quality Jobs Act in December.

In the consultation, the EU Commission raised three main topics of concern to the agency work industry, namely the EU approach to algorithmic management at the workplace, a possible regulation on subcontracting and the role of intermediaries and actions at European level in a Quality Jobs Act to frame just transitions. A further area in the Quality Jobs Act concerns EU instruments on health and safety at work, which should in our view best be addressed at cross-industry level. 

“In the debate on an EU Quality Jobs Act, it is important to reconcile economic competitiveness and social aspects,” said Menno Bart, Vice-President of the World Employment Confederation-Europe. “Rather than working on new EU legislation on algorithmic management, subcontracting and just transitions, we call for more effectively using existing legal instruments and combining these with skills and labour market policy enabling just transitions and quality jobs.”  

In our response to the EU Social Partner Consultation, we set out five key messages:

1. Real improvements in job quality in Europe must be built on an EU agenda for competitiveness, strengthened labour market participation and social inclusion. Agency work as a flexible form of work is already strictly regulated. Simplified agency work industry regulation is essential to allow the industry to offer quality jobs. Appropriate regulation for agency work implies non-discriminatory conditions for establishment, no unjustified restrictions to provide services, a broad range of labour contracts and social protection based on the principle of equal treatment.
   
   
2. As artificial intelligence and the use of automated decision-making systems at the workplace are transforming the labour market and evolving rapidly, the national authorities must fully enforce existing EU law. Where gaps exist, these must be addressed primarily by policy guidance and the use of non-legislative instruments.

3. Labour market intermediaries and subcontracting should be recognised as valuable mechanisms for organising work and delivering services. Subcontracting tiers should not be limited at EU level, while focus should be laid on ensuring compliance with the well-established, national rules on subcontracting. WEC-Europe welcomes enforcement of existing rules across all sectors and does not support a focus on specific risk sectors.

4. Enabling Just Transitions Through Skills Development and Training. The digital and green transition reshape labour markets, requiring an approach that combines effective implementation of existing EU legislation with skills and training policies that empower workers. Strong cooperation of public and private employment services helps match skills with labour market needs and ensure that no worker is left behind.

5. Quality Jobs require proper legal compliance and enforcement. Quality Jobs are a risk where existing regulation and standards are not complied with and enforced. The adequate and appropriate enforcement is a shared responsibility of the EU Member States and EU institutions with regard to the existing EU law and of social partners where quality job elements are based on sectoral social dialogue. 

The World Employment Confederation-Europe has been actively contributing and shaping the debate on an EU Quality Jobs Act. We trust that our call for an approach combining competitiveness and quality jobs will be considered in the final  EU Commission proposal for the act to be presented in December 2026 and will continue the dialogue with the EU institutions to enable more competitive and inclusive labour markets.