The city of Córdoba was the epicenter of the European debate on the future of work and social justice with the international seminar “The European Pillar of Social Rights in a Just Ecological and Digital Transition,” organized by the Spanish Center for Workers’ Issues (CEAT) with the support of the European Center for Workers’ Issues (EZA).
The opening ceremony featured a speech by Piergiorgio Sciacqua, Co-President of EZA, who emphasized that the European Pillar of Social Rights represents a key tool for ensuring equal opportunities and decent working conditions in the current context, marked by the digital and ecological transition. David Cervera, President of CEAT, emphasized the importance of ongoing training, both in digital and interpersonal skills, to facilitate workers’ adaptation to new jobs. He also called for cooperation between institutions, companies, self-employed workers, and unions to ensure stability and equity, especially for the most vulnerable groups: young people, women, the elderly, and migrants.
Throughout the sessions, leading experts and institutional representatives addressed the major challenges and opportunities of the new socioeconomic context:
- Miguel Ángel Solana Campins, Senior Advisor at Grupo Komtes and partner at 3M, addressed the digitalization of the labor market, the shortage of professionals in STEM fields, especially women, and the energy challenges arising from the growth of data centers. He called for training and more flexible European regulation in the face of the unstoppable advance of technologies such as artificial intelligence and quantum computing.
- José Luis Perea, secretary general of the National Federation of Self-Employed Workers (ATA), warned about the difficulties facing the group, ranging from institutional delays to bureaucratic overload. He demanded full social rights for the self-employed, especially in active retirement and benefits, and denounced the social stigmas that still weigh on the figure of the entrepreneur.
- Domingo Castillo, general secretary of USO Andalucía, reflected on the role of unions in the digital age. He defended the need for unions to expand their mission to address the risks of teleworking, automation, and depersonalization, and emphasized connecting with new generations to ensure the future of unionism.
- Gregorio Izquierdo, director general of the Institute of Economic Studies, warned that without business growth, there can be no quality employment. He championed investment and productivity as key to progress and denounced the low percentage of “gazelle companies” in Spain. He also emphasized the need for an entrepreneurial culture from childhood.
The international panel of the seminar, entitled “Towards a Social Europe? A Comparative Analysis of Social Rights,” brought together representatives from Romania, Hungary, Italy, and AFFAMER. The speakers shared the need to guarantee social protection uniformly throughout Europe, regardless of the country of residence, and to raise awareness of the rural world and the role of rural women as a key element of European development.
At the closing of the day, Pedro Barato, president of ASAJA, denounced the negative impact of poorly designed green policies on the Spanish countryside. He defended the need to balance sustainability with profitability and warned about the loss of appeal of the agricultural sector for young people.
The seminar concluded with a presentation by Francisco García, CEO of Hubtrick and PhD in Economic Psychology, who presented a transformative vision of technology hubs as drivers of sustainable and inclusive employment. He emphasized that companies must adapt to changes without delay and that artificial intelligence is revolutionizing work processes, requiring accelerated retraining of workers in all sectors.
Finally, the event was closed by Javier Morillas, a member of the Spanish Court of Auditors and professor of Applied Economics, who highlighted the current context of economic uncertainty, the need to strengthen Europe’s geostrategic role, and the urgency of combating corruption as a hindrance to economic and social development.
This seminar has demonstrated that, in a constantly changing world, social rights must be at the heart of public policies and social dialogue. The commitment of CEAT and the participating stakeholders reaffirms the goal of building a fairer, more inclusive Europe, prepared for the challenges of the present and the future.
