The European Employment Strategy (EES) – embodying the social investment paradigm - is presented as a key instrument for the EU and its Member States to solve problems of low economic and employment growth and to adapt to the needs of the knowledge-based global economy, while maintaining a social model based on solidarity. But does the one-size fits all model meet the needs of all Member States? This Opinion Paper focuses on the new Member States, where it is argued that the EES side-steps the main challenges in the 10 Central and Eastern European (CEE) EU Member States.
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This Research Paper examines the actual (as opposed to potential) impact of European Integration on national healthcare systems as a result of rulings of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) with regard to patient mobility. While the Belgian Presidency tries to reach a compromise in the Council on the draft Directive which aims to codify the ECJ case law on patient mobility, many Member States have already set about implementing (aspects of) this case law. The paper analyses in detail the differences and similarities in the Member States’ reactions and explains how the Europeanisation of healthcare systems through ECJ cases sets off a dynamic process of creative adaptation at the national level. 
More info... EN | FR
 

De Lisboa a Europa 2020 ¿Una nueva dirección para la estrategia económica de la Unión Europea?
Cécile Barbier, Informe 21, Fundación 1º de Mayo, June 2010 
 
This report reviews the elaboration of the Europe 2020 strategy and tries to assess in what ways it is innovative by comparison with the current Lisbon strategy.
More info and download...

An initial version of this article was published in the OSE Paper series in French.
See also, by the same author, Vers le «gouvernement économique» de la zone euro : pour le meilleur ou pour le pire ? OSE Paper Series, Opinion Paper No. 2, April 2010, 8p. This Paper examines how the notion of “economic government” of the Eurozone came to be on the European Agenda. 

Les traductions de l’« activation ». La douce européanisation des systèmes nationaux de protection sociale 
Daniel Dumont, PhD in Law Sciences at FUSL (Facultés universitaires Saint-Louis, Belgium).

In this text, Daniel Dumont conducts a historical review of the way social protection policy was incorporated into the European agenda. He presents a critical assessment of the diversity of the national models of social protection as compared with the “activation policies”.
Download (PDF)...  FR 
This text was later published in the Belgian Revue interdisciplinaire d’études juridiques, 2009 volume 63.

 
What’s wrong with EU 2020 ? 
Philippe Pochet, ETUI (European Trade Union Institute) Policy Brief, European Social Policy, issue no. 2, 2010

This critical assessment of the Commission’s 2020 strategy paper finds that the consequences of the exit strategy from the economic crisis are largely glossed over. Policymakers face a looming trilemma - reducing debt, investing in green infrastructure, and maintaining the welfare state and public services – that can only be addressed by thinking out of the box. According to Philippe Pochet, General Director of ETUI, tackling inequalities of all types should be the agenda’s top priority.
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Two crises, two responses 
Benedicta Marzinotto, Jean Pisani-Ferry and André Sapir, bruegelpolicybrief, Issue 2010/01.

This paper sheds light on the recent economic and budgetary crisis with a specific focus on the case of Greece and Spain. The authors suggest some revisions of the Stability and Growth Pact and put forward some insights for the improvement of EU socio-economic governance.
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The Lisbon Strategy, Europe 2020 and the crisis in between
Under a research contract funded by the Belgian Federal Public Social Security system, David Natali wrote a paper on “The Lisbon Strategy, Europe 2020 and the crisis in between”. This paper provides a brief overview of the Lisbon strategy, its political and economic rationale, and its main headway and limitations in terms of governance. “Shadows” and “lights” of the Lisbon strategy are assessed in the wake of the recent economic crisis. The key findings are then summarised as seven critical points to be addressed in order to understand the potential of the recently launched EU 2020 Strategy..
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The Social Dimension in the Lisbon Strategy: Achievements, Challenges and Perspectives 
The OSE is closely involved in scientific preparation of the international Conference organised by the Belgian Presidency of the EU that will focus on “Coordination in the social field in the context of Europe 2020: Looking back and building the future”. The event can count on an active contribution from the RECWOWE Network of Excellence. Bart Vanhercke, David Natali and Cécile Barbier are involved in this research project.
More info... EN | FR

European social dialogue: assessment and perspectives
The OSE has just embarked on a new research contract with the European Trade Union Confederation on the state of the European social dialogue. The research project will be carried out by the OSE social dialogue team (C. Degryse, R. Peña-Casas and R. Careja) through an in-depth review of the literature on European cross-industry and sectoral social dialogue, a survey and interviews with actors in the field. The research products will contribute to the debate following on from the next ETUC Congress to be held in Athens in May 2011.

Brèves sur les soins de santé en Europe / Nieuws over gezondheidszorg uit Europa
No.14, June 2010
This Newsletter, published in French and in Dutch, provides an overview of EU-level developments of relevance to national healthcare systems, with links to a variety of official documents. It includes policy developments and European Court of Justice case law. Subscription is free.
French version Dutch version

NEW: From September onwards this Newsletter will also be published in English.

20 October 2010 Employment and Poverty : the role of social partners in the fight against poverty and social exclusion
The OSE is organising, in the framework of the Belgian EU Presidency and the European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion 2010, an international conference on the role of social partners in the fight against poverty and social exclusion. This event, dedicated to activation, working poor and job quality, is supported by the cabinet of the Federal Minister of Employment and Equal Opportunities and the European Network of Excellence RECWOWE. It will contribute on the one hand to a more active mobilisation of the Belgian and European social partners on the issue of poverty, and on the other hand to improving the collaboration between social partners and the various bodies in charge of the fight against poverty in Belgium and Europe. Ramon Peña-Casas and Dalila Ghailani will contribute to the conference.
More info... EN | FR

Social Profit Sector between General Interest and the Market
The OSE, Kleis, VLEVA (Liaison Agency Flanders-Europe) and Pour la Solidarité held a seminar on 16 June 2010 on the application of European internal market rules and the services directive to non-profit social services. With the participation of the Flemish Minister for well-being, family & public health Jo Vandeurzen, this seminar addressed a broad audience of stakeholders in the sector concerned in Flanders. Rita Baeten presented her analysis of the topic while Bart Vanhercke chaired the meeting.
Download presentations... NL
More info... EN | FR

Sixth ESPANET Summer School 
(organised jointly with Recwowe) on ‘Tensions between Work and Welfare: Balance and future prospects at the Dusk of the Lisbon Strategy’, Oviedo, 20-28 July 2010. The Summer School addressed the topics of EU activities in the social policy field, tensions between work and family life, and the impact of the crisis. David Natali introduced the summer school with a presentation entitled ‘The Lisbon Strategy ten years on’.
More info... EN

State of play of the European project: where do we stand today? 
Bart Vanhercke presented his state of play of the European project (« Etat des lieux du projet européen: où en sommes-nous? ») for some 350 trade union activists belonging to the CSC (Confederation of Christian Trade Unions) in Liege.
More info and Slides... FR

European policies and hospitals: which consequences for Belgium ?
EU policies were one of the topics at the annual study days of Santhea, the umbrella organisation of non-profit and public hospitals in the Belgian French Community. OSE policy analyst Rita Baeten spoke about the free movement of patients in the European Union and the lines the Court of Justice has drawn.
Slides...  FR

Overview of the European Treaties from a citizen and social perspective
In the framework of the European Project called “Popular Education as a method for a Citizens Europe” led by the Centre d’Information et d’Education populaire (Centre for Information and Popular Education, CIEP Hainaut), Cécile Barbier took part in a seminar held in Bucharest on 19 May 2010. She gave the participants an overview of the European Treaties from a citizen’s and social perspective and presented the broad guidelines of the future Europe 2020 Strategy.
More info and Slides... EN | FR
   

P u b l i c a t i o n s   i n   t h e   b o x

The «Old» and «New» Politics of Financial Services Regulation in the EU Quaglia, L. (2010)  OSE Paper Series, Research Paper No.2, April 2010, 19p. This paper examines the regulatory response of the European Union to the global financial crisis, addressing the questions of whether, how and why the crisis has changed the ‘old’ politics of financial  services regulation in the EU. It is argued that the existing model of financial regulation has been challenged by a less ‘market-friendly‘ approach. More info... EN | FR

Social developments in the European Union 2009 Edited by Christophe Degryse ETUI, OSE, Brussels, 2010. This book focuses on the main social issues that have affected the EU in the past year: the economic crisis and Europe’s response are at the core of this edition. More info... EN | FR Slides of the conference on 19 May 2010 are downloadable.

Cécile Barbier, newsletter coordinator  -  Bart Vanhercke, editor-in-chief