EFTA social partners discuss industrial policy, economic security and quality jobs

In a full day of meetings on 14 April 2026 in Brussels, including a roundtable with the EEA EFTA Ambassadors, EFTA social partners discussed EU industrial policy, EU Inc., economic security and Single Market integration. They also held a joint seminar with two EFTA Working Groups, focusing on quality jobs in Europe.

Global/European developments and prospects for the EEA

The implications of global and European developments for the EEA were at the centre of a roundtable discussion between social partners and the EEA EFTA Ambassadors. The frank and open exchange focused on the recent shift in EU industrial policy towards "Buy European", restrictive trade measures, and the EU's increasingly horizontal approach to policymaking. Before the roundtable, participants received insights from EPC Policy Analysts Anna Crawford and Varg Folkmann on the EU's industrial and decarbonisation policies, as well as other recent EU initiatives and their possible implications for the EEA.

Quality jobs in the EEA

Another key element of the programme was a joint seminar exploring the future of quality jobs in Europe with the EFTA Working Groups on Health and Safety at Work and Labour Law and on the Free Movement of Persons, Employment and Social Policy. Discussions centred on the Commission's Quality Jobs Roadmap, unveiled in December 2025, and on the upcoming Quality Jobs Act.

"For the EFTA social partners, engaging with Working Groups that address interconnected policy areas - such as quality jobs - offers valuable insights. We hope to continue these exchanges in the future," said Maximilian Rüdisser, Chair of the EFTA Consultative Committee.

EU Inc., military mobility and FTA monitoring on the agenda

Social partners also held an exchange with René Repasi MEP, rapporteur for the European Parliament's own-initiative report on the 28th regime / EU Inc. - an EU-wide legal framework to streamline cross-border business operations, which has sparked strong interest among social partners across Europe. The programme further included briefings on the EU's military mobility proposal and on the monitoring and implementation of EU free trade agreements.

A vital platform for dialogue

The Consultative Committee is a forum for trade unions and employers' organisations in the four EFTA States: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. It serves as a vital platform for dialogue and consultation on the economic and social aspects of EFTA's free trade agreements and on the functioning of the European Economic Area.

Photos

• twitter
• linkedin
• facebook
• email