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This new ETUI report discusses the measures targeted at non-standard workers and the self-employed in Belgium, France, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Portugal, Romania and Sweden, drawing on case studies prepared by national experts. The report confirms the emergency and non-structural character of the measures but also provides innovative country-specific examples. The case studies highlight the active but uneven role that trade unions have played in EU Member States during the crisis.

4 May 2022 - 10.45 CET - IEA Nantes & Live Steaming - Language: French

For the past two decades, the European Trade Union Institute (ETUI) and the European Social Observatory (OSE) have worked together with many well-known academics to produce the book ‘Social policy in the European Union: state of play’ (the ‘Bilan Social’). On the occasion of the publication of the French version of this edited volume, the editors will present the key messages from the book, as well as overall developments concerning the interface between the Green Deal and social policies, and how the Deal fits into the European Semester. The seminar will take place simultaneously at the UCLouvain and the Nantes Institute for Advanced Study (IAE). The event will equally be live-streamed.

This ESPN report by Dalila Ghailani, Ramon Peña-Casas, Stéphanie Coster and Pietro Regazzoni highlights the unfavourable situation of young people and reveals structural gaps/obstacles in their access to social protection in the EU. The report includes both country and EU-level policy recommendations and is based on the comparative analysis of 35 ESPN country reports. Essential food for thought that should inspire the European Year of Youth 2022.

Welfare states as lifecycle redistribution machines. Why the piggy bank dwarfs Robin Hood in Europe

This paper by Pieter Vanhuysse, Márton Medgyesi and Robert Gal contributes to the debate about the two core functions of modern welfare states as redistribution across (a) socio-economic status groups (Robin Hood); and (b) ‘the lifecycle’ (piggy bank), asking the important question: what is the relative importance of these two key functions? Non-social policies also have significant status-redistributive effects. Hence, they could also be judged by the same yardstick: the extent to which they contribute to reducing inequality and poverty.

Towards operationalisation
Sabato S. with Vanhercke B. and Guio A.C.

In view of the formidable challenges ahead related to recovery from the Covid-19 crisis and to the green and digital transitions, the EU social governance toolbox should urgently be strengthened. This new ETUI working paper discusses the conditions for and added value of setting up an EU Social Imbalances Procedure. After identifying normative, functional, technical and political arguments that support the creation of a Social Imbalances Procedure, the paper develops two main options for its operationalisation. In terms of governance arrangements, the paper envisages a three-stage process.