Taking Europe’s pandemic pulse
A tentative growth in trust shows Covid-19 has not yet torn the social fabric of Europe.
politics, economy and employment & labour
Juan Menéndez-Valdés is the director of Eurofound, the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions. Prior to assuming the position in 2010, he was the head of employment, immigration, education and training policies at the Spanish Confederation of Employers’ Organisation (CEOE) and programme manager for guidance and training at the Spanish National Institute for Employment (INEM).

by Juan Menéndez-Valdés on
A tentative growth in trust shows Covid-19 has not yet torn the social fabric of Europe.

by Juan Menéndez-Valdés on
A mass online survey across the continent has found Europeans reeling from the coronavirus crisis—and losing trust in their leaders’ ability to manage it.

by Juan Menéndez-Valdés on
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 […]

by Juan Menéndez-Valdés on
‘A world-class place to live and work.’ That is how President Juncker described Europe at the summit to formally proclaim the EU Pillar of Social Rights in Gothenburg last month. And he added: ‘Europe is more than just a single market, more than money … It is about our values and the way we want […]

by Juan Menéndez-Valdés on
When EU Heads of State and Government gather in Gothenburg this week to debate fair jobs and growth, it will be the first such ‘social summit’ in 20 years. At the heart of the agenda will be the formal proclamation of the European Pillar of Social Rights – 20 principles focused on equal opportunities and […]

by Juan Menéndez-Valdés on
In his recent State of the Union address, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker laid out his vision for the EU over the next 12 months. The need to build a Europe that protects and empowers its citizens was at the very core of the address, focusing on the common values that we share in Europe, […]

by Juan Menéndez-Valdés on
Europe’s labour market has changed significantly in recent years, influenced by, among other things, the impact of the economic crisis. Eurofound’s research has shown that the labour market is becoming increasingly segmented. This segmentation could potentially result in a divided landscape of winners and losers, with very different experiences and perceptions of European integration and […]

by Juan Menéndez-Valdés on
Brexit dominates political debate, migrants stream through borders, social protection systems are collapsing, changing forms of work are corroding conditions, unemployment levels remain high and inequalities wreak growing tensions within societies. This is a European Union in meltdown, a chaotic cacophony of conflict, divergence and competitive downturn. Or is it really? Eurofound provides a more […]
Social Europe ISSN 2628-7641
