The EU Social Protection and Social Inclusion Process

Through the EU Social Protection and Social Inclusion Process, the European Union coordinates and encourages Member State actions to combat poverty and social exclusion, and to reform their social protection systems on the basis of policy exchanges and mutual learning. As such, it underpins the achievement of the Union’s strategic goal of sustained economic growth, more and better jobs, and greater social cohesion by 2010.

Poverty and Social Exclusion in Rural Areas

This study describes and assesses the phenomenon of poverty and social exclusion in the EU's rural areas. It also examines the impact of policy measures addressing these issues [More]

Social Protection and Social Inclusion in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro

The studies aiming at informing the process of the accession perspective of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro in the area of social protection and social inclusion are available

 [More]

Monitoring progress towards the objectives of the European Strategy for Social Protection and Social Inclusion

The European Commission presented on 17th October an analysis of the social situation in Member States with regards to the common objectives of the EU strategy for social protection and social inclusion. [More]

Reports of Peer Reviews 2007

You will find all the short reports for the 2007 seminars in a single publication. [More]

Social Protection and Social Inclusion in Serbia

Over the past two years, the countries of the Western Balkans have moved closer to the EU.
In December 2007, the European Council reaffirmed that "the future of the Western Balkans lies within the European Union". 
This study is the first of a series of studies aiming at informing the process of the accession perspective of Western Balkans countries in the area of social protection and social inclusion. The study provide an analysis of the social protection systems, the extent and pattern of poverty and social exclusion and the envisaged plans for reform of pension and healthcare systems of each country. [More]

Reinforcing the Open Method of
Coordination for Social Protection and Social Inclusion

A stronger Open Method of Coordination will allow the EU to achieve better results for the 2008-2010 period and will pave the way for the introduction of a sound framework post-2010.

The communication, adopted by the European Commission on 2 July 2008 identifies four priority areas:

• Increasing political commitment and visibility;
• Strengthening the positive interaction with other EU policies;
• Reinforcing the analytical tools;
• Better ownership through peer reviews, mutual learning and involvement of all relevant actors.

This communication forms part of the new social agenda package. [More]

Financial inclusion - Improving access to basic financial services

European Conference - Brussels 28 May 2008

This conference will present the results of the study on "Financial services provision and prevention of financial exclusion" and will discuss policy improvements. The Single Market Review announced last November that the European Commission would take an initiative to ensure that nobody in Europe is denied access to basic bank services. The event is a joint initiative from DG Employmnet, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities and DG Internal Market and Services that will gather social stakeholders, financial services providers and policy makers [More]

Modernising social protection

Despite rising employment, a sizable part of the Union’s population remains socially excluded. In line with European Social Agenda and the strategy for "Active Inclusion" a wide-ranging public consultation was launched by the European Commission in 2007.

Consultation replies from the social partners, NGOs and Member States are available on-line. [ More ]

Ending child poverty in Europe

A new video report from the European Commission’s Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities DG exposes the scandal of child poverty in Europe and shows what two very different member states – Britain and Lithuania – are doing to combat it. [ More ]

Child Poverty and Well-Being in the EU - Current status and way forward

New report on Child Poverty and Well-Being adopted by the Social Protection Committee on 17 January 2008
In the EU, one child in five lives under the poverty threshold, and in most countries they face a greater risk of poverty than the rest of the population.

Using commonly agreed indicators, the report identifies the predominant factors affecting child poverty in each country. [ More ]

Joint Report on Social Protection and Social Inclusion 2008

The Commission adopted on 30th January 2008 the proposal for a Joint Report on social protection and social inclusion This fourth Report examines more in depth a set of themes identified in last year's edition: child poverty, health inequalities, access to health care and evolving long-term care needs, longer working lives and privately managed pensions. [ More ]

2010 European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion

The European Commission has designated 2010 as the European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion. The € 17 million campaign aims to reaffirm the EU's commitment to making a decisive impact on the eradication of poverty by 2010.
"The fight against poverty and social exclusion is one of the EU's central objectives and our shared approach has been an important tool to guide and support action in the Member States," said Social Affairs Commissioner Vladimír Špidla. "The European Year will take this even further, by raising public awareness of the way poverty continues to blight the daily lives of so many Europeans." [ More ]

Social protection and social inclusion in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

The purpose of this study is to inform the forthcoming negotiations for the accession of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to the EU in the area of social protection and social inclusion, and in particular contribute to the 'Joint Inclusion Memorandum. It provides an analysis of the current system of social protection in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, with particular emphasis on the problems of social exclusion.  [ More ]

The European Commission presents its new approach to active inclusion

The European Commission presented in mid-October its proposals concerning an integrated strategy to tackle poverty and improve access to employment for disadvantaged people in a Communication entitled Modernising social protection for greater social justice and economic cohesion: Taking forward the active inclusion of people furthest from the labour market. The new approach, which is taking shape through a wide-ranging public consultation, proposes to deepen the Open Method of Coordination in this area through the adoption, monitoring and evaluation of a set of common principles in order to contribute to the identification of the best policy responses to the common social challenges that the Member States are facing.[ More ]

Portuguese EU presidency calls for stronger cooperation between government and civil society

“Joining voices and forces from all stakeholders has been and continues to be the hallmark of the European Union in the fight against poverty and social exclusion”, declared José António Vieira da Silva, Portuguese Minister of Labour and Social Solidarity, at the Opening of the Sixth European Roundtable on Poverty and Social Exclusion, which took place in Ponta Delgada (Azores) on 16-17 October 2007.
“The European Round Table, a key European awareness raising event in the context of the Open Method of Coordination for Social Protection and Social Inclusion, is a good example of involvement of different stakeholders and institutional actors,” he said. He added that the link between participation and decision making “should be enhanced at all levels”.  [ More ]

Reform of pension systems need to continue

This EU Presidency conference was held in Lisbon on 13-14 November and highlighted the need of pension reforms to meet the triple challenge of sustainability of pension systems in Europe: financial, economic and social.
Against this background, and in the spirit of mutual learning around common challenges, the conference discussed the options taken by several EU Member States. The spotlight was on promoting longer working lives, but also on an upraising policy area of increasing levels of public awareness of pension issues. The conference also underlined the key role of transparency and governance in the implementation of reforms, as well as the mutual relationship between pension reform and employment and growth.[ More ]

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