Update of the European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan
On Wednesday 22nd July 2026, the European Commission published an update of the European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan. The action plan helps guide the continued implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights, which contains 20 principles that lay the way for a more social Europe. Adopted in 2017, the Principles contain many commitments related to supporting the rights and recognition of informal carers. For example, Principle 18 on Long-Term Care, Principle 12 on Social Protection, Principle 9 on Work-Life Balance, and Principle 2 on Gender Equality.
This updated action plan builds on the first action plan adopted in 2021 with reflections on the three EU-level headline targets set out in 2021 to be reached by 2030 and puts forward new actions to try to move further towards these goals and also respond to a changing reality since the first action plan was published.
One key action related to supporting informal carers will be the European Care Deal, set to be put forward by the European Commission in 2027. The European Care Deal will build on efforts from the European Care Strategy from 2022 by providing an updated framework addressing key issues related to long-term care.
“Building on the European Care Strategy, the Commission will work towards a more coherent framework for addressing long-term care workforce challenges and will present a European Care Deal in 2027. By strengthening the availability and accessibility to care services, the initiative will contribute to Europe’s competitiveness, reducing pressure on informal carers and by stimulating job creation in the sector as well as investments into digital enabled technologies supporting both carers and people in need of care.”
Eurocarers stands ready to shape the upcoming European Care Deal, by ensuring it responds in a strong and meaningful way to the realities of informal carers, and thus contributing to the updated European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan.
Other relevant actions include:
- A first consultation is foreseen with social partners on how the EU could take action to tackle key issues preventing people from accessing employment. This will include discussing gender equality issues, and we, as Eurocarers, expect it to include the issue of the availability of care services, as a means by which informal carers, primarily women, are supported to remain engaged in paid work while balancing care duties, to the extent that they wish.
- The European Commission will set up a High-Level Experts Group to examine the potential impact of AI on the labour market. This will include discussions on the role AI can play in addressing growing pressures from demographic ageing in the long-term care sector. It will be important for Eurocarers to contribute to ensuring that digital technology and AI are introduced and integrated in care in a way that protects the rights, dignity, and the choices of carers (formal and informal) and people receiving care.
Find out more about the European Pillar of Social Rights here and read the updated action plan here.
