This Week in Social Affairs — Brussels (#27, 2026)
Commission greenlights EGF support for dismissed workers in Belgium, Spain; adoption of anti-discrimination strategy assessed; Parliament committees debate child online safety, youth policies; Council reviews equality implementation.
July 12, 2026 to July 18, 2026
Commission greenlights EGF support for dismissed workers in Belgium, Spain; adoption of anti-discrimination strategy assessed; Parliament committees debate child online safety, youth policies; Council reviews equality implementation.
📋 In This Week's Newsletter
• 🇪🇺 European Commission
• ⚖️ EU Legislation
• 🤝 EU Council
• ✒️ EP Committee Work
European Commission
Commission proposes €6.5 million EGF support for dismissed workers in Belgium and Spain
On 15 July, the European Commission proposed mobilising €6.5 million from the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for Displaced Workers (EGF) to support 1,928 workers dismissed by the Cora hypermarket chain in Belgium and across twenty companies in Spain's automotive sector. The proposal targets new skills development and reemployment measures, including career counselling and training, with 85% of costs covered by the EGF and the remainder by Walloon and Galician authorities. The Belgian case, covering 1,257 workers, retroactively supports redundancies dating from December 2025, while funding for the Spanish car sector will begin from 1 September 2026. The EGF's remit was broadened in May 2026 to cover workers at risk of displacement prior to job loss. The proposal requires approval from both the European Parliament and the Council.
EU Legislation (Official Journal)
Council Decision (EU) 2026/1733: temporary visa restrictions for Guinea
Adopted on 10 July 2026, Council Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/1733 temporarily suspends certain provisions of Regulation (EC) No 810/2009 (Visa Code) for nationals of Guinea. This follows a Commission assessment of insufficient cooperation on the readmission of irregular migrants by Guinean authorities, including issues with identification and return procedures. The Decision lifts the possibility for flexible documentation requirements, introduces longer visa processing periods for Guinean nationals, and limits multiple-entry visas. These measures exclude family members of EU citizens and do not affect certain international law obligations.
Decision No 1/2026: Public Administration Reform Sub-Committee under EU-Moldova Association Agreement
On 28 May 2026, the EU-Republic of Moldova Association Council adopted Decision No 1/2026 (OJ L 2026/1766) establishing a Public Administration Reform (PAR) Sub-Committee under the Association Agreement. The PAR Sub-Committee is tasked with strategic policy dialogue, coordinating and monitoring Moldova's public administration reforms with the aim of aligning with Union standards. The Decision also endorses the creation of a Joint Consultative Committee between the EU Committee of the Regions and Moldovan local authorities, providing for cooperation and the exchange of best practices.
EU Council
Justice and Home Affairs ministers meet informally
On 16 July, the Justice and Home Affairs ministers gathered for an informal ministerial meeting. No official communiqué or outcome summary was provided as of this week.
EP Committee Work
LIBE hearing reviews implementation of EU equality directives and horizontal anti-discrimination proposal
On 14 July, the Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee (LIBE) convened a public hearing with the Commission, national equality bodies, and civil society experts to examine implementation of EU equality directives and discuss progress on the long-standing proposal for a horizontal equal treatment directive. Panellists reviewed capacity gaps in Member States, recent case law, the role of equality bodies under Directive (EU) 2024/1499, and barriers such as access to justice and intersectional discrimination. The EPRS presented its 2025 complementary impact assessment documenting limited costs mainly for reasonable accommodation but significant anticipated benefits. The hearing featured contributions from the Commission, the Belgian EU Presidency, Equinet, the Fundamental Rights Agency, and civil society.
