Social Europe

politics, economy and employment & labour

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Just transition

Artificial intelligence, work and society

Europe 2025

Columns & Interviews

Covid-19 and a new social Europe

Covid-19 and a new social Europe

by Patrick Thill and Vassil Kirov on 23rd September 2020

With lessons not learnt, yet with the ‘rebuilding’ of Europe very much under construction, it is time for a truly social Europe.

Corona versus culture

Corona versus culture

by Jess Smee on 22nd September 2020

The pandemic closed theatres, concerts and exhibitions, imperilling many freelances. How will the creative industry re-emerge?

Assar Lindbeck: an appreciation

Assar Lindbeck: an appreciation

by Thorvaldur Gylfason on 21st September 2020

The Swedish economist’s life of rich activity straddled theory and policy—and painting.

Social democracy in one corner of the world

Social democracy in one corner of the world

by Branko Milanovic on 21st September 2020

Branko Milanovic argues that ‘stop the world, we want to get off’ is no basis for a revival of progressive politics.

Enclosing the market

Enclosing the market

by Philipp Staab on 17th September 2020

Despite increasing criticism of Big Tech, the business models of leading digital companies are still widely admired. That’s a problem.

Intersectionality: time for a rethink

Intersectionality: time for a rethink

by Gergely Csányi and Eszter Kováts on 16th September 2020

The current understanding of intersectionality is a dead-end for progressive politics.

Trade unions need new strategies

Trade unions need new strategies

by Asbjørn Wahl on 15th September 2020

With employers on a decades-long offensive against labour, the balance of power which once secured social dialogue has been transformed.

The European minimum wage will come—but how?

The European minimum wage will come—but how?

by Torsten Müller and Thorsten Schulten on 15th September 2020

The principle of a European minimum wage is established. How it should be set is not.

Renovating Europe: a path to green recovery

Renovating Europe: a path to green recovery

by Divia Hobson on 14th September 2020

A green recovery from the pandemic would heal its social scars by quickly creating jobs and fostering inclusion.

The politics of currencies

The politics of currencies

by Adam Tooze on 14th September 2020

Adam Tooze argues that worrying about the euro exchange rate and a non-existent inflation enemy in Europe must give way to fiscal and monetary demand boosts.

Estonia top of the (digital) class

Estonia top of the (digital) class

by Karola Klatt on 10th September 2020

After the summer holidays, schools across Europe have been fretting about if and when they will have to switch back to digital distance learning—but not in Estonia.

Including the precariat

Including the precariat

by Valeria Pulignano on 9th September 2020

The coronavirus crisis has highlighted how the welfare state of the future must include the growing mass of precarious labour, especially among youth.

Shifting the burden: can Covid-19 do it for women’s unpaid work?

Shifting the burden: can Covid-19 do it for women’s unpaid work?

by Bharati Sadasivam on 8th September 2020

Lockdown conditions have put in question the disproportionate burden of unpaid work placed on women, evidence from Turkey shows.

Hazardous! Occupational safety and health in the care economy during the pandemic

Hazardous! Occupational safety and health in the care economy during the pandemic

by Paula Franklin on 8th September 2020

Protecting the health and safety of all workers in the care economy is essential, but for this to become a reality major changes are needed.

The EU needs a new story on race and inclusion

The EU needs a new story on race and inclusion

by Shada Islam on 7th September 2020

If the sensitising impact of ‘Black Lives Matter’ is not to ebb, a new European narrative and concrete actions are needed.

Blogs

Workers’ rights: negotiating and co-governing digital systems at work

Workers’ rights: negotiating and co-governing digital systems at work

by Christina Colclough on 3rd September 2020

Algorithmic systems are a new front line for unions as well as a challenge to workers’ rights to autonomy.

US economy mired in viral stagnation loop

US economy mired in viral stagnation loop

by George Tyler on 31st August 2020

The travails of the US economy come amid a politics never so poisonous since the civil war.

Apprenticeships: a public option

Apprenticeships: a public option

by Niccolo Durazzi and Leonard Geyer on 20th July 2020

Apprenticeships raise the labour-market entry level for young people—but they need to be available in bad times as well as good.

Minimum wage: a success story with scope for improvement

Minimum wage: a success story with scope for improvement

by Peter Bofinger on 20th July 2020

Peter Bofinger argues that regionally-differentiated minimum wages should be considered for the post-coronavirus period.

A fossil fuel-free future is close at hand … if the EU wills it

A fossil fuel-free future is close at hand … if the EU wills it

by Patrick ten Brink and Jonathan Bonadio on 8th July 2020

An NGO-led, science-based scenario shows the European Union can become climate-neutral by 2040. All that is missing is the political will.

Social Europe Volume Three

Social Europe Volume Three

This third volume brings you some of the best contributions published on Social Europe over the first half of 2020 in easily accessible ebook and paperback formats. It focuses on the coronavirus crisis and related subjects. Authors include Teresa Ribera, Simon Wren-Lewis, Mariana Mazzucato, Karin Pettersson, Maria Mexi, Michael D Higgins, Ania Skrzypek, Paul Mason and Philippe Pochet.


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Social Europe Edition Book

The European Union is excellently equipped to pursue the most urgent issues facing the advanced world: combating environmental damage and climate change, coping with the massive aftermath of the coronavirus crisis, reforming globalisation, regulating financialised capitalism, reducing material inequalities and reconciling the future of work in a rapidly changing economy with workers’ needs for secure lives. But, argues Colin Crouch in this manifesto for a return to the ‘social Europe’ agenda, to achieve these goals the EU needs to face the two menaces stalking today’s politics: neoliberalism and xenophobic nationalism. To do so it must confront the weakness of social democracy, historically the main political protagonist of the causes of co-operation and inclusion on which the strategy depends.


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Hans Böckler Stiftung Ad

Proposals for a reform of the EU's fiscal rules and economic governance

Debt-to-GDP ratios are set to rise significantly all over the world as a result of the coronavirus crisis. This will pose a huge challenge for the EU's member states and in particular the euro area countries, because of the strict fiscal rules. The IMK advocates a reform focused on appropriate fiscal rules that promote short-term macroeconomic stabilisation and long-term modernisation of the public capital stock, while still keeping the sustainability of public debt in mind. We propose an expenditure rule for non-cyclical, non-investment expenditure coupled with a Golden Rule for public investment. As a pragmatic solution, the permissible debt-to-GDP ratio should be increased to 90%, while escape clauses should apply during times of crisis. The Macroeconomic Imbalance Procedure should also be reformed. We advocate a Macroeconomic Dialogue to ensure compliance with the reformed rules and consistency of national strategies.


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Counting gigs: how can we measure the scale of online platform work?

The potential transformation of labour markets by the emergence of online labour platforms has triggered intense debate but its scale remains speculative. Adequate policy responses hinge on a good understanding of dynamics that will only grow in importance with the labour market crisis created by the pandemic. With technologically enabled remote work, growing demand for services such as food delivery or care, as well as rising unemployment and the financial strain on many workers, platform work may resume its rapid growth. This working paper provides a critical assessment of different approaches to estimating the scale, illustrated with key research.


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Eurofound Advertisement

Living and working in Europe 2019

Living and working in Europe, Eurofound’s 2019 yearbook, provides a snapshot of the latest developments in the work and lives of Europeans as explored in the agency’s research activities over the course of 2019. The range of topics as a result is broad, from the growing diversity of employment across EU regions to rising trust in national institutions to developments in minimum wages. This overview also describes how Eurofound's activities connect with the policy priorities of the European Commission.


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