EU job quality improved over past decade, Commission says

• The 2026 European Employment and Social Outlook says job quality improved over the past decade.
• The report points to progress in pay, job security and working time.
• The Commission expects around 440,000 fewer jobs to be created in 2026.

Job quality

The European Commission said job quality in the EU has improved over the past decade. It cited progress in pay, job security and working time in its 2026 European Employment and Social Outlook, published on Tuesday.

EU job quality improved over past decade, Commission says

The report says better-quality jobs can lift productivity. It links that to stronger motivation, lower staff turnover, more skills development and better work organisation.

Pressures

The Commission also pointed to slowing employment growth, weak productivity growth and pressure on household incomes from high energy prices. It said labour shortages are often more pronounced in poorer-quality jobs.

Later this year, the Commission will present the Quality Jobs Act after the second-phase consultation of EU social partners.

Sector gaps

Job quality remains uneven across sectors and countries, the report said. It is higher in manufacturing and knowledge-intensive services, and more common in information and communication, finance and insurance, public administration, and professional, scientific and technical activities.

Poorer-quality jobs are more often found in accommodation and food services, administrative and support services, and some lower-skilled service jobs. The report also said some member states recorded deterioration in two or more job quality indicators over the past decade.

Wages and AI

The report said wages can keep rising only if companies become more productive. It also said higher wages, especially minimum wages, can push companies to invest and innovate rather than compete on low labour costs.

On technology, the Commission said AI can improve productivity and job quality, but its effects depend on how it is introduced and governed. It said AI may pressure labour demand in some entry-level and routine jobs and affect wages and working conditions.

The report added that greater reliance on automated tools could weaken critical thinking, reduce learning by doing and increase the need for human supervision.

Labour market

The report said the EU labour market remained resilient. In 2025, the employment rate reached 76.1%, while unemployment stayed at a historic low of 6%.

For 2026, Commission analysis expects the energy shock linked to the conflict in the Middle East to slow employment growth, but not stop it. It said around 440,000 fewer jobs are expected to be created that year.

Real wages in 2026 are 1.4% above pre-pandemic levels, the report said, after recovering losses seen in 2022 and 2023 in most member states.