Social Policy

News, background information and web links about employment and social affairs policies of the European Union.

European Chemicals Bureau - guide — 02 May 2008, 00:08 CET

News, background information and web links about employment and social affairs policies of the European Union.

Special Eurobarometer survey on health and long-term care — 30 April 2008, 00:04 CET

According to this Eurobarometer report carried out in 2007, most Europeans expect to need long-term care at some point in their lives (with an EU average of 13% seeing this as inevitable, 32% likely and 29% unlikely but possible). However, 86% of Europeans would prefer to be cared for in their own homes or that of a relative should they become dependent, as opposed to only 8% preferring an institution. (pdf format)

Long-term Care in the European Union — 29 April 2008, 23:59 CET

The demands for and costs of long-term care provision in the EU will rise significantly by 2050, according to a new report presented by the European Commission on 28 April 2008. Meanwhile, the vast majority of Europeans (almost nine out of ten) favour home- or community-based care over care in an institutional setting. The projected growth in demand for long-term care services presents a major challenge for national governments. But the report also shows that Member States are striving to guarantee access for all to quality care by providing adequate resources to meet this demand. (pdf format)

EU strategy on the rights of the child - update — 10 April 2008, 12:58 CET

News, background information and web links about employment and social affairs policies of the European Union.

EU commitment to the Millennium Development Goals - milestones — 04 April 2008, 11:32 CET

News, background information and web links about employment and social affairs policies of the European Union.

Joint Report on Social Protection and Social Inclusion 2008 — 26 February 2008, 11:20 CET

News, background information and web links about employment and social affairs policies of the European Union.

EU study to help improve care for people with disabilities — 29 January 2008, 23:31 CET

Institutional care for disabled people in Europe continues to fall short of acceptable standards in many cases, a new report released by the European Commission confirms. The study, entitled 'Deinstitutionalisation and Community Living – Outcomes and Costs', recommends a wider use of quality, community-based services, which offer better quality of life to people with disabilities, without necessarily costing more.

Portability of pensions — 18 January 2008, 12:40 CET

Changing job or country often means losing occupational pension benefits in some EU Member States. The difficulty of transferring these benefits from one country to another can be such that it has been identified by experts as a serious obstacle to the free movement of workers within the EU. Under the 'portability of pensions' Directive, proposed by the European Commission in October 2005, workers switching jobs or countries will no longer need to worry for the future. Designed to avoid major losses and in many cases allowing benefits to transfer with the worker across sectors and countries in the EU, the proposal is expected to boost the Commission's 'Growth and Jobs' strategy by making it easier for workers to move jobs and countries.

First EU FP7 science in society projects announced — 07 January 2008, 20:30 CET

The European Commission has released details of the first projects to be financed under the 'Socio-economic sciences and humanities' and 'Science in society' programmes of the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7).

European social dialogue: benefits for workers and companies — 29 November 2007, 16:58 CET

News, background information and web links about employment and social affairs policies of the European Union.

Europe should do more to protect children — 21 November 2007, 20:26 CET

European Member States should do more to protect the 6,700 children who die every year from preventable accidents, a report from the European Child Safety Alliance recommends.

EuroSafe — 21 November 2007, 20:14 CET

EuroSafe, the European Association for Injury Prevention and safety Promotion, is the network of injury prevention champions dedicated to making Europe a safer place. Its mission is to reduce both intentional and unintentional fatal and non-fatal injuries through increased coordination and strategies that combine and build upon existing strengths and capacities.

Over-60s happiest in Scandinavia: study — 15 November 2007, 16:00 CET

If you want to be happy and satisfied with life when you are over the age of 60, you should be living in Scandinavia. This is one of the results of a UK study analysing the impact of living alone, with a spouse or with others, on the health and happiness of older people and how this impact varies within Europe.

EU policies for restructuring and employment — 18 October 2007, 16:54 CET

Faced with a future of increased global competition, the European Union is putting effective policies in place to equip people to cope with change, promote enterprise in areas affected by economic change and to anticipate restructuring. Change does not always mean job losses, but painful restructuring is sometimes necessary. Unlike in other parts of the world, the EU promotes a strong social dialogue to manage change. Workers and regions affected by change also benefit from a wide range of EU measures to limit negative social consequences.

EU nations have right to impose retirement on elderly: court — 16 October 2007, 20:32 CET

An EU state has the right to impose a compulsory retirement age on its workers who have earned the right to a full pension, the European Court of Justice ruled Tuesday.

Binge drinking on the rise in Mediterranean countries: study — 28 September 2007, 18:37 CET

A study into the drinking habits of adults in some parts of Spain has found that binge drinking is on the rise, suggesting that the EU should take action on this policy issue.

Euro MPs call for more legal immigration into EU nations — 26 September 2007, 23:57 CET

The European parliament on Wednesday called for more legal immigration into the EU to tackle the problem of ageing populations.

Social Indicators: The EU and Social Inclusion (Hardcover) — 11 September 2007, 19:11 CET

News, background information and web links about employment and social affairs policies of the European Union.

REGIO Newsletter: latest issue now online — 06 September 2007, 18:52 CET

DG REGIO has just published the latest issue of its monthly newsletter. The newsletter is available in the 19 official languages. Table of contents : - Questions for the regions: the fourth Cohesion Forum - New Treaty could strengthen role of the regions in the EU - Call for new means of measuring regional development - Luxembourg seven times richer than Bulgaria!

European Social Fund — 05 September 2007, 00:08 CET

News, background information and web links about employment and social affairs policies of the European Union.

Report on Racism and Xenophobia in the Member States of the EU 2007 — 28 August 2007, 22:35 CET

News, background information and web links about employment and social affairs policies of the European Union.

Bridging the Gender Pay Gap - EU guide — 18 July 2007, 13:51 CET

News, background information and web links about employment and social affairs policies of the European Union.

50 years of the European Social Fund — 28 June 2007, 14:33 CET

News, background information and web links about employment and social affairs policies of the European Union.

Plenary vote on supplementary pension rights a 'missed opportunity' — 21 June 2007, 16:15 CET

News, background information and web links about employment and social affairs policies of the European Union.

The EU and disability issues — 08 June 2007, 13:56 CET

The European Commission website for the Integration of People with Disabilities. The main responsibility for disability issues at the Commission lies with Directorate-General Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities. This website has been developed to provide a short overview of the European Disability Strategy and to keep visitors updated on the latest developments in the area of disability policy at European level.