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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.

Delivering on social protection for all

Eleni De Becker 9th May 2024

Despite the European Pillar of Social Rights, social protection remains patchy for atypical and self-employed workers.

Housing crisis: Europe cannot afford it

Gerald Koessl 8th May 2024

Housing may not be an EU competence but the growing affordability crisis across the union demands attention.

Persons with disabilities: removing the barriers

Ioannis Vardakastanis and Haydn Hammersley 7th May 2024

As the European Parliament election looms, it’s time for action on disability policies, not pity.

Not done yet—applying the minimum-wages directive

Torsten Müller and Thorsten Schulten 2nd May 2024

The directive has already changed the landscape on setting minimum wages and extending collective bargaining.

Violence against women: ‘tradition’ confronts Europe

Tea Kljajić 2nd May 2024

The European Commission recently proposed that EU accession negotiations be opened with Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Codetermination in Spain: chronicle of a death foretold?

Sara Lafuente 1st May 2024

A failed initiative to advance democracy at work nevertheless contains lessons for how to pursue the cause.

What is meaningful work? A philosopher’s view

Caleb Althorpe 30th April 2024

Employees need to feel their work makes a social contribution—which means they need to be involved in its governance.

Decarbonising housing fairly: a sufficiency approach

Ian Gough, Stefan Horn, Charlotte Rogers and Rebecca Tunstall 25th April 2024

Housing is a huge source of carbon emissions. But decarbonising it effectively requires a sufficiency lens.

Rethinking the battle against homelessness

Kate Holman 25th April 2024

Eradicating homelessness starts with seeing beyond a one-size-fits-all approach to homeless people.

European elections: a call for accessibility

Vilmantas Balčikonis 18th April 2024

More is needed for visually impaired voters—and candidates—to exercise their political rights.

Sex trafficking in Romania and Moldova

Charlotte Freer 16th April 2024

The charges faced in Romania by a high-profile ‘influencer’ highlight how the region has become a hub for sex trafficking.

Stepping up the EU agenda on social citizenship

Bea Cantillon, Maurizio Ferrera and Maarten Keune 12th April 2024

In a more precarious Europe, social protection and minimum-income guarantees must be more strongly embedded.

Social Europe needs a new concept of ‘worker’

Nicola Countouris, Valerio De Stefano and John Hendy 10th April 2024

The distinction between employed and self-employed is becoming incoherent and outdated.

Rethinking universalism and social rights

Maurizio Ferrera 9th April 2024

Social rights in Europe today require marrying 20th-century universalism with the meeting of diverse, complex needs.

Danger: hazardous medicinal products at work

Ian Lindsley 5th April 2024

Healthcare workers will be protected from hazardous drugs by an EU law which had to be transposed by member states by today.

Protecting EU health policy from tobacco lobbying

Emily O'Reilly 4th April 2024

The European Commission should minimise meetings with the tobacco industry, publicise and fully minute them.

Women leaders in CSOs—overworked, overwhelmed

Eloïse Bodin 27th March 2024

Fundamental change is needed as many women near burnout, amid mounting social challenges and work-life imbalance.

Universal basic services: road to a just transition

Robbie Stakelum and Katy Wiese 26th March 2024

Meeting social needs within planetary boundaries is the alternative to the religion of growth and the populist backlash.

Establishing safe staffing in health and social care

Jan Willem Goudriaan and Adam Rogalewski 24th March 2024

Staff shortages represent a risk to occupational health and an EU directive should mandate member states to address them.

Living conditions: Germany outperforms the US

Jan Priewe 21st March 2024

Gross domestic product is often presented as encapsulating US success. But on broader benchmarks Germany performs better.

Devising devices with accessibility in mind

Jakob Rosin 14th March 2024

‘Baking’ accessibility into the household can make the day brighter for everyone.

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Spring Issues

The Spring issue of The Progressive Post is out!


Since President Trump’s inauguration, the US – hitherto the cornerstone of Western security – is destabilising the world order it helped to build. The US security umbrella is apparently closing on Europe, Ukraine finds itself less and less protected, and the traditional defender of free trade is now shutting the door to foreign goods, sending stock markets on a rollercoaster. How will the European Union respond to this dramatic landscape change? .


Among this issue’s highlights, we discuss European defence strategies, assess how the US president's recent announcements will impact international trade and explore the risks  and opportunities that algorithms pose for workers.


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