The EU’s financial commitment to social issues - with government spending on social services such as social protection, education and health claiming a significant 35% of GDP in 2020 - underpinned its resilience to the economic shock of the COVID-19 pandemic.
A new joint report by ECDC and Eurofound concludes that adult work-life balance was significantly affected by measures such as stay-at-home orders and recommendations, closures of day-care, primary and secondary schools and national teleworking recommendations implemented in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
While some environmental indicators have improved across the EU, there are large inequalities between people at different income levels in Europe, with low-income populations drastically worse off in terms of the quality of their neighbourhood and housing.
Extreme temperatures in southern Europe have impacted workers’ health and resulted in industrial action in some EU Member States. Eurofound’s research shows that, already in 2015, 23% of workers in the EU were exposed to high temperatures during at least a quarter of their working time.
While losses in real minimum wages have occurred in several countries across the European Union, these have not eroded the long-term gains of purchasing power that have occurred across the EU since 2013. In an effort to offset inflation, governments have significantly increased nominal minimum wages across Europe. In 2023, the median nominal increase was almost 11%, compared with just 5% in 2
The move to a climate-neutral economy doesn't only represent risks and costs, but it has the potential to create exciting new opportunities with net employment gains, new business sectors and a healthier environment. Eurofound and the EEA have brought together EU level and regional experts and stakeholders to explore what these socioeconomic impacts could be and how policy could respond.
Focusing on prevention, and the strategic application of social support at the right time, is an important aspect of reducing evictions and ensuring citizens have affordable housing options in Europe.
People fleeing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine can seek jobs in Europe but not knowing the host country’s language and temporary job placements are just some of practical barriers identified in a new research paper from Eurofound and the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA).
Between 2012 and 2020, overall homeownership decreased across the EU, with decreases of more than 3 percentage points in Denmark, Cyprus, Spain, Lithuania, Finland and Bulgaria. This decrease was driven by declining ownership among young people and low-income groups.
National Child Guarantee Coordinators met at Eurofound in Dublin yesterday, the first in-person meeting to be held in a Member State. Together, National Child Guarantee Coordinators reviewed progress made in reducing child poverty and improving access to services across Europe, as well as sharing practical experiences of sectoral reform.
The growth of platform work has highlighted its potential for those that require more flexible work arrangements but has also raised concerns about working conditions and exposing the vulnerability of platform workers with respect to access to safe working environments and social protection.
Europe Day is a celebration of unity, solidarity and harmony. While we may not have had much to celebrate this past year, one thing we can be proud of is how Europe has come together in the face of large-scale challenges and threats, showing that solidarity is the key to resilience and resolve.
Eurofound (European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions) is a tripartite EU body, whose mission is to provide knowledge to assist in the development of better social, employment and work-related policies.
