Our guest has an important role in promoting social policies in the European Union, at a time when much of the political oxygen is being sucked out by the competitiveness and simplification agenda, as well as by defence and security issues. Roxana Minzatu is Executive Vice-President of the European Commission and is in charge of social rights and skills, quality jobs and preparedness. Minzatu is a Romanian social democrat, a former minister for European funds in the Romanian government and a former MEP. She recently presented an anti-poverty strategy aimed at dealing with the fact that one in five Europeans – or 93 million people – are at risk of poverty or social exclusion. "I want to send a signal of optimism with this strategy. I don't want to paint a bleak picture," Minzatu tells the programme. "But the reality is that the numbers (of people at risk of poverty) are dynamic. The cost of living is rising, the energy shocks crisis, the invasion of Ukraine, and now the Middle East crisis. There are a number of shocks that could modify these numbers. And then this strategy sets the path forward and sets out a kind of shield." Read moreIran war squeezes Europe’s economy as growth slumps, prices surge But isn't Minzatu limited by the fact that it's up to EU member states to decide on their own anti-poverty measures? "I meet prime ministers and ministers of finance, not just ministers of labour and education," she responds. "They're not easy conversations. Of course, many times the temptation is to say, 'but, you know, we need to invest more in security. We need to invest more in technology.' But I always bring into the discussion the essential role of people, and the quality of their jobs." Minzatu insists on the link between quality jobs and competitiveness, pointing to the proposed Quality Jobs Act that will focus on labour relations, high-risk or precarious sectors, and health and safety in the workplace. "Quality jobs are a key ingredient of being more competitive and stronger economically," she says. "Our proposal for a Quality Jobs Act is now in consultation, so both trade unions and employers are giving us their input. Trade unions want more legislation, more binding rules. Employers want more guidance." The Quality Jobs Act would work hand in hand with the Union of Skills, and with the Skills Portability Initiative, "which will make use of everything we can: legislation, digital tools, AI tools to create much more equivalence and trust in qualifications, degrees and diplomas between member states, so that people can travel freely with their knowledge, with their education." Minzatu admits that all this will be a challenge amid declining performance in maths and science among young Europeans. "Looking at the statistics, the pandemic was the turning point where numbers started to deteriorate a bit more," she notes. "That has to do with how education was offered; the online teaching. But then we see numerous other transformations, including the impact of artificial intelligence, of technology, of social networks." We ask Minzatu about the collapse of the pro-EU government in her home country, Romania, following a no-confidence vote in the parliament. "Romanians are highly pro-European, and the dream of many generations has been to be part of Europe. This dream does not disappear easily," she remarks. "But people will of course judge politicians from the perspective of their everyday lives. So we need to be able to address their concerns about their cost of living, their concerns about the taxes that they pay, and so on. The reactions (of Romanians) are very concretely anchored into that." Programme prepared by Isabelle Romero, Perrine Desplats, Aline Bottin and Oihana Almandoz.
