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3.1 Chapter I: Equal opportunities and access to the labour market
T
he PES shares the fundamental objective of the EU - to continuously improve the living and working conditions of people in Europe. This objective is specified in the European treaties. It implies that everybody must be given the ability to contribute fully in society, enjoying equal opportunities and capabilities to pursue the future he or she has in mind. “The integration of every person in the education, training, and life-long learning system must be prioritised, independently of their age, gender, and background. The Pillar needs to contribute to equipping people with the skills necessary to face the challenges of a fast-changing labour market.”6 However, we need
6 PES Presidency Declaration on the European Pillar of Social Rights Adopted by the PES Presidency on 16 June 2017
more than skills alone. We must face the fact that not everybody is able to learn new skills. We need investments in quality jobs for those people who are affected by environmental, technological and digital transitions, both for those who are able to get new skills and those who are less likely to do so. At the same time, this crisis has shown that low skilled jobs are as essential for society as highly skilled professions. The value of work cannot be based on the skills levels, the correspondence between jobs and skills requirement has to be revised (too often, companies artificially inflate skills requirements for their openings) and skills investment must also be translated into profits for the worker.
