On 17 June 2026, the PHS Social Partners – EFFAT, EFFE, EFSI and Uni Europa – gathered their members in Brussels for the first plenary meeting of the EU-funded Scale Up project. Building on the work carried out through the PHS Dialogue project, the meeting brought together employers and trade unions from across Europe to discuss key challenges and priorities for the Personal and Household Services (PHS) sector. 

Preparatory Meeting for Employers 

EFSI, together with the EFFE, hosted a preparatory meeting for employers’ organisations focusing on Occupational Safety and Health (oSH) in the PHS sector.

The meeting began with an overview of recent and upcoming EU initiatives relevant to OSH, including developments linked to the Quality Jobs Agenda and the future European Care Deal. This provided the basis for an exchange of experiences and good practices among participants. 

The discussions highlighted: 

• The specific challenges of applying OSH policies in private households; 
• The need for a clearer recognition of domestic work, household employers and the home as a workplace; 
• The diversity of national approaches to OSH, ranging from training programmes and preventive services to social dialogue initiatives; 
• The importance of supporting household employers through information, training and representative structures; 
• The significant differences between countries, particularly regarding undeclared work and the development of social dialogue structures. 

Joint Plenary Session 

The joint plenary session brought together European employers and trade unions to discuss recent developments affecting the PHS sector and review the activities carried out by the PHS Social Partners over the past year. 

Representatives from the European Commission and the European Labour Authority (ELA) provided updates on key EU initiatives, including the Skills Portability Initiative, the Gender Equality Strategy, the Anti-Poverty Package, the future European Care Deal and ELA’s work on long-term care. Discussions highlighted the importance of ensuring that the specificities of the PHS sector are adequately reflected in future European policies. 

The afternoon session focused on updates from the PHS Social Partners, including: 

• The first findings of the 2026 PHS Employment Monitor and their contribution to future advocacy work; 
• Recent joint statements and advocacy activities at the European level; 
• The development of National Observatories, including new initiatives in the Netherlands, Germany and Spain; 
• Updates on the PHS Employers Network; 
• Trade union organising and capacity-building activities carried out in several countries. 

The meeting concluded with an update on the implementation of the PHS Social Partners’ Work Programme, which focuses on strengthening social dialogue structures, supporting the professionalisation of the sector, tackling undeclared work, contributing to key EU policy initiatives and securing funding for future activities. 

On behalf of the PHS Social Partners, EFSI would like to thank all speakers and participants for their valuable contributions and insightful discussions.