In this episode of the Eurofound Talks podcast Mary McCaughey speaks with Eurofound Deputy Director Maria Jepsen, and Barry Colfer, Director of Research at the Institute of International and European Affairs (IIEA), about European social change over the past 50 years, Eurofound’s role in these changes, how Ireland itself has developed and changed, and the challenges currently on the horizon.
Respondents that participated in Eurofound’s 2024 e-survey were less optimistic about their future than those that took part in 2023, with the degree of optimism across all age groups falling considerably since 2020. The sharpest drop in optimism occurred among respondents in the 35–49 and 50–64 age groups, who reported the lowest levels of optimism in 2024.
30% of respondents to Eurofound’s 2024 Living and working in the EU survey reported difficulties making ends meet, ranging from 17% in Luxembourg to 55% in Greece. 10% of respondents missed rent or mortgage payments, and 15% reported arrears in utility bills – both figures reflecting increases from the previous year.
In a new episode of Eurofound Talks Mary McCaughey speaks with Eurofound Senior Research Manager Hans Dubois about the latest developments in housing and housing policy in Europe. This, the second episode of the series looking specifically at housing, discusses the role of the incoming Commission, what Eurofound’s research can bring to the table, and the different policy tools required.
Around two-thirds of unemployed people in the EU do not receive benefits, often because their employment records are shorter than required, or their benefits have run out.
In a new episode of Eurofound Talks Mary McCaughey speaks with Eurofound Research Manager Carlos Vacas about the situation of the middle class in Europe. Together, they explore a more nuanced picture to the one that is commonly expressed; different patterns are emerging across European regions, for instance between the Member States that joined the EU after 2004 and older Member States.
In a new episode of Eurofound Talks Mary McCaughey speaks with Eurofound researchers Eszter Sandor and Massimiliano Mascherini about the situation for young people in Europe, from the impacts of the economic crisis and Great Recession to the aftermath COVID-19 pandemic and voting trends in the recent European Parliament elections.
Eurofound has launched a new online survey to chart evolving perceptions of life and work in Europe. The survey looks primarily at the situation of people living in the EU, but is open to everyone aged 16 years or older, regardless of where they live.
Linguistic similarities, high levels of education, labour market shortages, the mobilisation of national and EU resources, civil society involvement, and close cultural ties have helped Ukrainian refugees to find temporary employment in the EU and Norway. However, there remain barriers in accessing longer-term employment and public services, in particular housing.
The working conditions of Europe’s essential workers is the focus of the new episode of the Eurofound Talks podcast.
The rural–urban income gap has increased by nearly 20% over the past decade, with higher incomes in urban areas than in rural areas. This, alongside the employment gap and the relatively poorer provision of public services in rural areas has contributed to a rise in rural communities expressing feelings of being mistreated, disrespected or ignored by their government.
Today is World Mental Health Day, an opportunity to raise awareness of mental health issues around the world and to mobilise efforts in support of mental health.
Skills, skills, skills! Skills for people, skills for competitiveness, skills for sustainability, an event on 20 September with the five social EU Agencies in collaboration with the European Parliament and the European Commission will explore skills needs in the EU.
Workers on non-permanent contracts and workers with no formal contract are less satisfied with the functioning of democracy in their country, as are workers experiencing job insecurity.
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.
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).
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.
