As the European Union recoups the losses of the crisis and seeks a sounder footing for future growth, the concept of convergence has taken centre stage in the policy discourse. But what do we mean by ‘convergence’ in the European context?
It seems that social structures are hardening. As the modernisation of economies subsides, fewer new jobs are being created at the higher occupational levels, and this is curtailing upward mobility.
@JuanMenendezEF presents #eurofound latest research findings on #platform #work and employment conditions at the informal #EPSCO #eu2018at today 19 July 2018
It is well known that women take more responsibility for the care of their children than men. According to the 2016 EQLS, 88% of mothers compared to 64% of fathers in the EU care for their children every day. These fathers estimate they give 21 hours a week to the care of their children, while the mothers dedicate 39 hours per week.
Wages grew and wage inequality fell in most EU countries in 2015. Germany is not one of the countries where wages rose most, but it did have the largest reduction of wage inequality. Our analysis shows that the German minimum wage policy introduced in 2015 strongly lifted the wages of the lowest-paid employees, particularly those employees who were lower-skilled, younger or working in services.
Europe is showing visible signs of progress; in most countries, labour markets are healthier than they have been in a decade, with more people active and in work than ever before, while social exclusion is declining. However, it is also a continent in transition, where an imbalance in opportunities for prosperity and quality of life directly determines to what extent you have felt this recovery.
The number of people active in the labour market is at an all-time high, ratings for key public services are increasing and there is a marked recovery in trust in national institutions in many Member States, these developments are detailed in Eurofound’s latest Living and working in Europe yearbook for 2017.
Research Manager Isabella Biletta looks at fraudulent practices in the contracting of work across the EU. The article is based on several years of Eurofound research on the subject.
Invitation to 'Future jobs - current challenges: Cedefop 2018 Skills forecast' launch event, in Brussels on 8 June 2018
In this blog piece, originally published in Social Europe, Karel Fric and Camilla Galli da Bino look at the issue of discrimination against men in the workplace in Europe, and the current lack of research in this area.
The integration of migrants from outside the EU into society is one of the key challenges that the Union must address to maintain social cohesion and equality. In this blog piece Enrique Fernández-Macías and Tania Paniagua de la Iglesia look at how well migrants and their descendants have integrated into the labour markets of EU Member States.
In this blog, originally posted in Social Europe, Massimiliano Mascherini looks at the enduring issue of long-term unemployment among young people. Despite considerable improvement in the labour market participation of youth in recent years, the legacy of the crisis is still visible in the substantial increase in the cohort of long-term unemployed young people.
The Heads of the EU Agencies have pledged to communicate to their staff that harassment in the workplace is not acceptable, to ensure respect for existing laws and the staff regulation, to promote diversity at work, and to provide a trusted environment in the workplace.
Die führende Stellung Deutschlands in Europa in den letzten Jahren war weitgehend auf die Position als Wirtschaftsmacht zurückzuführen. Deutschlands Platz in den kommenden Jahren kann auch durch seine Fähigkeit definiert werden, ein Kraftpaket für sozialen Zusammenhalt und Integration zu werden
Germany’s commanding position in Europe in recent years has largely been due to its reputation as an economic powerhouse. Its place in Europe in years to come may well be defined by its ability to also become a powerhouse for social cohesion and integration.
Eurofound and the European Economic and Social Committee, under the banner of the Bulgarian Presidency of the EU, bring together representatives of the social partners, EU institutions, national and regional representatives, practitioners, civil society and academics to debate on access and quality of public services in EU28, as highlighted in Eurofound’s European Quality of Life Survey.
Ahead of International Women’s Day on 8 March we invite you to explore the issue of gender equality in depth, to read about the different areas in which gender equality is most urgently needed. Eurofound assists in the development of better social, employment and work-related policies for all EU citizens and those that call Europe home.
The European Quality of Life Survey explores a variety of aspects related to living standards, health, family and work–life balance, as well as people's happiness levels, and their perceptions regarding the quality of their society. The latest survey results for Finland paint a generally positive picture of the country in 2016, just a year before the 100th anniversary of its independence.
People in the lowest income quartile in the EU are going without fresh fruit and vegetables to save, and a higher proportion are buying cheaper cuts of meat or buying less meat because of money concerns. This practice is occurring throughout Europe, but there are vast differences between Member States.
People surveyed about their optimism for the future in Eurofound’s European Quality of Life Survey (EQLS) were more optimistic about their own future in 2016 than they had been about the future in general in 2011. This growth in optimism can partly be attributed to the improved economic situation in Europe since 2011.
