CNEL President Tiziano Treu wrote it in the editorial of the new issue of the Newsletter on the labour market, which comes out with a new editorial and graphic design and presents, as usual, reflections and insights on the most topical issues of the day, including the investigation on the indicators of fair and sustainable well-being (BES) to assess employment at a territorial level, the implications of the gig economy on the quantity and quality of work in Italy and in Europe, safety at work; the reconciliation between personal and working life to reduce the gender gap and collective agreements, “of which 59% has long expired and must be renewed promptly and responsibly because at this stage it represents a decisive contribution to supporting the internal demand of our Country, which today is more necessary than ever."

Since the early hours of the emergency linked to the spread of Coronavirus, the CNEL activated a working group at the end of February to follow its economic developments. Then, from March 5, the entire structure has adopted the teleworking method in order to continue the activity and ensure maximum support to the Government and Parliament according to the provisions of its constitutional prerogatives. In the first week of April, on the basis of the roadmap drawn by the Bureau, the CNEL Assembly is also scheduled by videoconference to allow its councillors the maximum participation to discuss and approve a first document on the crisis. 

“The current crisis is profoundly different from the previous ones, because it directly affects people's lives and it is an expression of a common fragility of our economic and social systems. This fragility is not accidental and makes the interdependence between all our countries and the destinies of our peoples dramatically evident, which is why this should make everyone aware, above all Europe and its Member States, that the current challenge cannot be overcome by proceeding in a random fashion, as it has been so far, but that in order to respond to current challenges it is necessary to change pace - adds Treu – First of all, this new scenario should convince us to abandon the intergovernmental approach that has characterized the action of the European Union so far and induce us to seek common solutions, certainly with the necessary gradualism but also with the awareness that exceptional events require exceptional measures ".

“We are all called to react with exceptional measures, as exceptional these events are. The impact of this crisis is still completely uncertain in the outcomes and implications. CNEL must be at the forefront to give its contribution of reflection and proposal not only to overcome the current contingency, but also and above all to seek the ways of a new cycle of development that we are called to promote ", concludes Treu.