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BENNIS Hamza
In Digitalisation, Digitalisation, Employment, Employment, Impact community Labour, Impact community Labour, Press, Projects and Programmes, Projects and programmes, Publications, Skills, Skills, ,

Local, social, digital – digitalisation impact

Digital transition - News 2022

A joint CEMR–EPSU project explores how digitalisation is transforming local and regional governments across Europe and its impact on workers, services and governance 

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Digital transformation is reshaping local public services across Europe, from how services are delivered to how public employees work and engage with citizens. To understand these changes and support effective responses, the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) and the European Public Service Union (EPSU) launched a joint project: “Local, Social, Digital”, co-funded by the European Commission and implemented between 2023 and 2024. 

This initiative explored the challenges, opportunities and impact of digitalisation in local and regional governments (LRGs), with a particular focus on working conditions, skills development, social dialogue, and inclusive governance. 

At the heart of the project is a comprehensive research report prepared by an independent expert, based on desk research, interviews with national CEMR and EPSU affiliates, and key insights from international conferences and webinars held in Cagliari, Tallinn and online. 

The research revealed a wide range of digital practices and challenges across European LRGs. Digital tools are enhancing flexibility, accessibility and efficiency, but also raising important questions around workers’ rights, surveillance, data privacy, and fair access to training and upskilling. The study also found growing awareness around the gendered impact of digitalisation, particularly following the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Key themes included: 

  • Telework and hybrid work: The shift to remote working has been widely adopted, but requires clearer frameworks on rights, disconnection, and workplace safety. 
  • Digital skills and employment: There is a pressing need to train and support public employees in using digital tools, with strong involvement from both trade unions and employers. 
  • Ethics and AI: The use of Artificial Intelligence in local governance raises new ethical challenges and calls for stronger social partner dialogue. 
  • Smart cities and services: Digitalisation of public services must remain people-centred, focusing on inclusiveness, accessibility, and transparency. 

Many national and local social partners have already launched strategies, tools and agreements to manage this transformation, including practical guidelines, awareness-raising events and training programmes. 

As Europe enters its Digital Decade, local and regional governments stand at the forefront of this transformation. The “Local, Social, Digital” project reinforces the crucial role of social dialogue in managing digital change, ensuring fair working conditions, and promoting inclusive public services. 

CEMR and EPSU call for continued EU support and structured collaboration among employers, trade unions and institutions to empower local administrations in navigating digital change, sustainably, socially, and with dignity. 

Read the study here

For more information, contact: 

BENNIS Hamza
In Digitalisation, Digitalisation, Employment, Employment, Gender equality, Gender equality, Impact community Labour, Impact community Society, Impact community Society, Migration and inclusion, Migration and inclusion, Press, Publications, Skills, Skills, ,

Social rights, local action 

Social Rights Labour - News

What are the priorities for implementing the European Pillar of Social Rights with a strong local and regional involvement? 

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The Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) welcomes the European Pillar of Social Rights as a step toward strengthening fairness and equality in Europe. While supporting its ambition, CEMR stresses that the measures linked to the Pillar’s 20 principles should remain non-binding, respecting the diversity of national, regional and local competences. For local and regional governments, the Pillar should serve as a reference framework to inspire reforms, rather than impose uniform rules. 

CEMR identifies key challenges where Europe must act: rising inequality, persistent poverty, gender gaps, and labour market transitions accelerated by digitalisation and COVID-19. Municipalities and regions, as major providers of education, housing, health, social inclusion and employment services, are at the heart of delivering social rights. 

CEMR’s policy priorities include: 

  • Skills and education: investment in training, apprenticeships and digital access to avoid a “lost generation” of young people. 
  • Demographic change: integrating women, older workers, migrants, and disadvantaged groups into the labour market. 
  • Gender equality: boosting women’s participation and addressing work-life balance challenges, especially in the pandemic’s aftermath. 

At the same time, CEMR warns against excessive bureaucracy or additional reporting obligations for local authorities, calling instead for best practice exchange, benchmarks, and adequate funding. 

For the European Pillar of Social Rights to succeed, it must respect subsidiarity, strengthen social dialogue, and involve local and regional governments as essential actors. Municipalities, cities, and regions are indispensable in turning principles into concrete progress, provided they are given the flexibility, resources and recognition needed to deliver. 

Read the position paper here 

For more information, contact: 

BENNIS Hamza
In Employment, Employment, Impact community Labour, Impact community Labour, Press, Publications, Skills, Skills

Strengthening Europe’s social dimension 

Workplace - News

The European Pillar of Social Rights should focus on quality, investment, and upward convergence across Member States 

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The European Pillar of Social Rights is intended to reinforce the EU’s social dimension and rebalance economic and social priorities. Public services and services of general interest (SGIs) are at the heart of this process, as they underpin citizens’ quality of life and provide the infrastructure for sustainable growth. 

Rather than producing new legislation, the priority should be to ensure that existing EU social rules remain fit for purpose. The current Social Acquis already includes around 70 directives that protect workers and guarantee rights. What is needed now is stronger enforcement and, where necessary, modernisation, for example, revisiting the Working Time Directive to provide clarity for employers and employees alike. 

The Pillar also offers an opportunity to introduce benchmarks that compare and measure social policy developments across Europe, within the framework of the European Semester. Such benchmarking could improve transparency, highlight gaps, and support upward convergence while respecting the diversity of national systems. Importantly, this approach should apply to all EU Member States, not just the euro area. 

A stronger social dimension requires reliable and predictable investment in both physical and social infrastructure, from transport and energy to education, healthcare, and social services. To make this possible, fiscal rules may need to be reviewed so that key public investments can be prioritised without undermining sustainable growth. 

The success of the European Pillar of Social Rights will depend on respecting subsidiarity and recognising national differences, while at the same time providing common principles to guide reform. By focusing on quality, enforcement, and strategic investment, the Pillar can help Europe reduce inequalities, strengthen essential services, and support sustainable growth across all territories. 

Read the declaration here 

For more information, contact: 

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