Following the success of the first edition, the European Social Insurance Platform (ESIP) will hold its second Annual Forum on the 12th of October 2023 at Scotland House in Brussels.

"Europe's social security systems and the changing world of work" is this year’s theme.

The ever-increasing number of non-standard workers, the ability to telework and work remotely, the growing significance of digital skills, the impact of artificial intelligence in the workplace are just some of the new types of work and working in a rapidly evolving labour market. All these developments which were accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic are posing new questions for EU and national legislators as well as for national social security systems.

ESIP’s second Annual Forum will look at the challenges and opportunities these trends present for social protection systems in Europe. Experts from ESIP’s Members, statutory social security institutions will share their experience as well as the dilemmas they face in designing solutions to protect workers from newly emerging risks. Digitalisation, strengthening access to social protection but also the changing world of work and the implications for mental health at the workplace will be some of the major themes to be tackled during the all-day, high-level ESIP Forum.

As the current legislature is coming to an end, the ESIP Forum will bring together EU decision-makers, academia, civil society and ESIP Members to debate the progress achieved over the past five years and look at what is pending and should be prioritized in the new legislative term.

The annual forum will comprise three panels

Panel 1: The future of work is now: Strengthening access to social protection for all

• Set-the-scene presentation by Prof. Paul SCHOUKENS - Social Security Law, KU Leuven - University of Tilburg
• Tea JARC – Confederal Secretary, European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC)
• Dina FROMMERT – Head of Research & Development, Pension Insurance Association (DRV Bund), Germany
• Prof. Slavina SPASOVA – Senior researcher, European Social Observatory (OSE)
• Francesco CORTI – Advisor to Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Social Affairs and Health

Panel 2 : Digitalisation in the workplace: Implications for social security

• Opening remarks by MEP Dragos PISLARU – Chair, Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL), European Parliament
• Set-the-scene presentation by Seong Ju PARK & Stefano PIANO –  OECD
• Bruno DE PAUW – Advisor General, National Office for Social Security (ONSS), Belgium
• Ilse HENTO – Senior Advisor, Knowledge department, Employment Insurance Agency (UWV), Netherlands
• Vit HOLUBEC – Senior Social Security Coordination Officer, European Labour Authority (ELA)
• Jens SCHREMMER – Head, Member relations and regional activities, International Social Security Association (ISSA)

Panel 3 : Mental health in the workplace: Which way forward?

• Set-the-scene presentation by Ana Catalina Ramirez, Occupational Safety and Health Specialist, International Labour Organisation (ILO)
• Janne LEINONEN – Chief Medical Director, Social Insurance Institution (Kela), Finland
• Barbara HUBER – Occupational Psychologist, Department for Prevention, Austrian Accident Insurance
• Thomas BOUSQUET – International relations advisor, Central agricultural social mutual fund (CCMSA), France

The forum will be concluded with a fireside chat with Katarina IVANKOVIC-KNEZEVIC, Director for Social Affairs and Inclusion, DG Employment, European Commission

Do not miss a lively, interactive discussion with all relevant stakeholders at the second ESIP Annual Forum on 12 October in Brussels. Make sure you register today to secure your spot!