The Catalan pardons: what do they mean?
Last week the Spanish premier, Pedro Sánchez, pardoned the nine Catalan political prisoners—to very mixed reactions.
The platform economy—time for more democracy at work
The platform economy has intensified power imbalances between companies and their workers, which only collective voice can redress.
When capital relinquishes ownership
As the ownership of firms becomes transferred to algorithmically-controlled index funds, why not put their human employees in charge instead?
A ‘vision zero’ goal for accidents at work
There are no acceptable levels of workplace fatalities—a focus on prevention is needed.
Strengthening social and labour rights for farmers and farm workers
The opportunity of CAP reform to cultivate fairer and more sustainable agriculture must not be wasted.
International Public Service Day—a day of celebration, action and resistance
Strong public administrations and well-funded public services are needed to ‘build back better’ after the pandemic.
Public services and the common good
In these authoritarian times, defending and re-empowering public services is also defending democracy.
The G7’s role in the world
Jayati Ghosh unpicks the G7 summit in England and finds an anachronistic coalition failing to meet global responsibilities.
Child Guarantee—for most, but not all
The adoption of the European Child Guarantee is a big step forward. It will take another, however, to end institutional care.
Are social clauses really just hidden protectionism?
Social clauses in trade deals are sometimes represented as a premise for denial of market access to developing countries. The evidence suggests otherwise.
Trading on hope: why projections of the EU-Mercosur agreement are unreliable
The EU-Mercosur agreement, on which negotiations ended a year ago, awaits signing and ratification. They should be in no rush.
Inflation in the strongest recovery since 1945
Governments should ignore siren warnings that only hyperinflation can come from pandemic-induced investments.
A Europe free of elder abuse
The European Commission’s Green Paper on Ageing has a blindspot—elder abuse.
A first tango in Glasgow?
A new transatlantic relationship is critical to any hope of global realisation of the goals of the Paris agreement.
Pollution: no acceptable levels
‘Zero pollution’ is a very good goal for the European Union to adopt—but only if zero means zero.
People v Shell: from ‘corporate social responsibility’ to legal accountability
The successful action by citizens and NGOs in a Dutch court against Shell has sent a frisson through corporate boardrooms—with reason.
As Polish women flock towards volunteer defence, the left remains inept
Weronika Grzebalska begins a new Social Europe column by exploring how the liberal left in Poland has abdicated to the populists the resonant theme of women and defence.