Media advisory - Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council of 6 and 7 December 2021

Source: Council of the European Union (Council) i, published on Tuesday, December 7 2021.

Indicative programme

All times are approximate and subject to change

Employment and social affairs (Monday 6 December)

Chair: Janez Cigler Kralj, Minister of Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities of Slovenia

from 8.30

Arrivals (live streaming)

08.45

Doorstep by Minister Kralj (live streaming)

09.30

Beginning of the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council

Adoption of the agenda

Approval of A items

09.40 (public session)

  • 09.40 Directive on adequate minimum wages in the European Union
  • 10.55 European Semester 2022
  • a) 
    2022 Annual Sustainable Growth Survey (ASGS), Alert Mechanism Report (AMR), draft Joint Employment Report (JER) and draft Recommendation on the economic policy of the euro area
  • b) 
    Update on the national plans under the Council Recommendation on Access to Social Protection for workers and the self-employed

Policy debate

  • 12.30 c) EMCO Review of the implementation of the Youth Guarantee - key messages
  • 12.40 Conclusions on sustainable work over the life course

12.45 Any other business:

Current legislative proposals

  • Revision of Regulations on coordination of social security systems (883/04 and 987/09)
  • Revision of Directive on carcinogens and mutagens at work (fourth batch)

ALMA (Aim, Learn, Master, Achieve)

High Level Group on the future of social protection and the welfare state

+/- 13.00

Press conference in live streaming.

15.00

Work programme of the incoming Presidency

15.10 (public session)

  • 15.10 Directive on binding pay transparency measures
  • 16.10 Towards a Europe of Equality - policy debate
  • 17.40 Conclusions on the impact of artificial intelligence on gender equality in the labour market
  • 17.45 Directive on equal treatment (Article 19)

17.50 Any other business (continuation):

  • Directive on gender balance on company boards
  • Presidency conferences

+/- 18.10

Press conference in live streaming.

Videos and photos from the event

Health (Tuesday 7 December)

Chair: Janez Poklukar, Minister of Health of Slovenia

from 8.00

Arrivals (live streaming)

08.30

Doorstep by Minister Poklukar (live streaming)

09.30

Beginning of the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council

Adoption of the agenda

09.40 (public session)

  • Council Regulation on the emergency framework regarding medical countermeasures
  • Conclusions on Strengthening the European Health Union

11.50 Any other business:

Current legislative proposals

  • Regulation on a reinforced role for the European Medicines Agency in crisis preparedness and management for medicinal products and medical devices
  • Regulation amending Regulation (EC) No 851/2004 establishing a European Centre for disease prevention and control
  • Regulation on serious cross-border threats to health and repealing Decision No 1082/2013/EU
  • Regulation amending Regulation (EU) 2017/746 as regards transitional provisions for certain in vitro diagnostic medical devices and deferred application of requirements for in-house devices

Report on the implementation of Regulation (EU) No 528/2012 concerning biocidal products

Pharmaceutical strategy for Europe and other upcoming initiative

Europe's Beating Cancer Plan

WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco control (FCTC): Ninth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP9) (virtual, 8 - 13 November 2021)

Special session of the World Health Assembly on pandemic preparedness and response (virtual, 29 November - 1 December 2021)

14.30 (public session)

  • COVID-19 - Current and future response to the pandemic - exchange of views

16.30

Any other business:

Work programme of the incoming Presidency

+/- 16.45

Press conference in live streaming.

Videos and photos from the event

Arrangements for the press conferences

Both press conferences will take place in a hybrid format: EU accredited journalists will be able to participate and ask questions either remotely or in person at the Justus Lipsius press room.

If you haven't registered for one of the previous Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs ministers press events, please use this link to do so and have the possibility to ask questions remotely.

  • Deadline for registration: Monday, 6 December 2021, 12.00

Further instructions will be sent to all registered participants shortly after the deadline.

Visit the meeting page