European Social Charter—political will needed
Robust enforcement of the European Social Charter is key to strengthening workers’ and trade-union rights across Europe.
Society
Social Europe is an award-winning digital media publisher driven by the core values of freedom, sustainability, and equality. These principles guide our exploration of society’s most pressing challenges. This archive page curates Social Europe articles focused on societal issues, offering a rich resource for innovative thinking and informed debate.
Social rights in Europe—in need of a new impulse?
The backdrop to the European Social Charter is the historical relationship between peace and social justice.
The European visa system—a barrier to ideas exchange
Visa rules need an overhaul to facilitate global co-operation in a runaway world, Ankita Anand writes.
Will states support corporate capture of the future?
The United Nations Summit of the Future risks missing opportunities to give value to public goods.
European Social Charter: more relevant than ever
The European Social Charter has often been the poor relation of the European Convention on Human Rights. That may be changing.
Cleaners come out from the shadows to mobilise
After the European Parliament elections, cleaners’ fight for justice goes into the next round.
Europe: world leader in eroding workers’ rights
Workers’ rights, fundamental to democracy, are under attack across the world—nowhere more so than in Europe.
Fossil-fuel subsidies: a litany of broken promises
While pledged to phase out fossil-fuel subsidies by 2025, EU member states are spending more than at any point since 2015.
Heat stress at work—a political emergency
Climate change is creating new risks, requiring a minimum protective threshold for all workers in Europe.
EPOCH-making?—the tool to end homelessness
The European Union is committed to ending homelessness by 2030. It will come down to political will.
The 1.5C target for global heating must prevail
Even if we overshoot the 1.5C limit set by the Paris Agreement, we must return to it as quickly as possible.
Reinvigorating the European Social Charter
Council of Europe member states need to enhance their commitments to social and economic rights.
Homecare and domestic workers deserve better
A survey shows an alarming malaise in a sector heavily dominated by women and migrant workers.
Sustainable Development Goals: time for a rethink
A political reconceptualisation is critical if humanity’s hope for a sustainable global future is to be rescued.
Social dialogue: urgent to turn words into deeds
EU instruments encouraging social dialogue and collective bargaining are very valuable—but not if employers can walk away.
Sufficiency: towards an eco-social economy
The only exit from the ‘polycrisis’ is a corridor of sufficiency between meeting need and avoiding excess.